Under The Night Sky
by eastern.meridian
Summary: By his uncle's will, Derek becomes a coowner of the practice in a small town in Nevada. He wants to sell it and be out of the place where he doesn't belong until he meets a feisty local doctor with a past, which leads to a series of hilarious incidents.
1. Chapter 1: Strangers In The Night

**A/N Hello, welcome to my newest fic – "Under The Night Sky". The first chapter will reveal a lot so I'm ****not going to bore you with a lengthy introduction. All I want to say is that the story is going to be romantic, hilarious and probably rated M at some point. Oh, and let's not forget about the necessary dose of drama. :) **

**I'm really excited to share ****this story with you, I've been working on it for the last few months.**

**Please enjoy!**

Derek couldn't help a litany of curse words falling from his lips. He just got out of his car straight into a puddle of mud, completely ruining his brand new 400-dollar leather shoes. This whole trip was becoming more and more of a nuisance. He had to take time off his job, have a several hours long air journey and then cruise the deserted highway to reach the goddamn town in the middle of nowhere.

He never expected the weather conditions to get so bad. When they were visiting relatives with his father when he was still a child, one of the most memorable things was the overpowering heat. Derek didn't think he had any recollections of it ever raining here. It was an arid region, a desert punctuated with little oases of life.

It felt a bit strange to go back here after all those years. The Shepherds had stopped visiting the town of Rachel after his father's death. None of the family lived here anymore. They either passed away or moved somewhere else looking for better perspectives, just like his dad, Michael Shepherd, did when he was young. He had moved from the state of Nevada to the Big Apple but he never fully transformed into a New Yorker. His children couldn't imagine a life elsewhere though.

There were no more Shepherds in Rachel, which was precisely the reason Derek had to go there. William Shepherd, some distant relative Derek vaguely remembered as Uncle Bill, passed away three months ago making him his only heir. Derek nearly burst out laughing when he heard the news. Not that a death in the family was a hilarious occurrence. The fact was that Derek had four sisters, both older and younger than him, but somehow Uncle Bill didn't leave them so much as a rusty kettle. He could clearly imagine the old hardened man making his will. William Shepherd was a man of tradition, a conservative who probably was of the opinion that girls were frivolous flirty creatures unworthy of attention. Mind you, he had never got married.

But really, the whole inheriting thing was more of a problem than an actual advantage to Derek. He was busy doing his job of the head of neurosurgery at New York Presbyterian, better still, he was one of the most serious candidates for the position of the chief in the next few years. He didn't have time to take care of some lonely southerner's possessions. Besides, the vagina squad just acquired a new doctor, new sexy redheaded doctor with whom he wanted to try his chances . Knowing his luck, Mark Sloan was already working his way into her pants.

All in all, Derek wasn't keen at all at the prospect of revisiting Rachel but his personal presence at the place was supposedly necessary. He had a house with all its equipment to sell and… he had a half of a practice to sell. Was it mentioned already? William Shepherd had been a doctor and co-owner of the only practice in town. That was the main purpose of this trip. Derek was to meet with the other party, someone called M.E. Grey, whom he imagined as a choleric stubborn old guy, someone like his Uncle Bill. Derek's lawyer wasn't able to come to terms with his representative so now he was trudging there personally to have this over with.

Derek's mother was surprisingly encouraging about the trip on the other hand. He partly agreed on coming here just to stop her from ranting that he was overworked and needed vacation. Carolyn Shepherd didn't understand that best surgeons in the country didn't go on vacation.

Let's go back to the actual story. Derek groaned feeling his shoes slowly but steadily soak up and the torrential rain lash on his body and his expensive Versace suit. Soon after the storm broke loose, his GPS system had gone completely haywire leading him God knows where along some dirt road. He pulled up on the side to consult a paper map but the only thing he achieved was getting stuck in the mud. The low Lexus he rented in Vegas was powerless in this regard. On top of that, he was shivering as the temperature on the desert dropped dramatically. Oh, and guess what, the freaking mobile, which presumably assured mobility, had no signal.

He was getting pretty desperate when he noticed the headlights of a vehicle going his way. Seeing it as his last chance he jumped out into the rain and waved his arms frantically. What a relief, the jeep stopped and Derek gratefully yanked open the door to peek inside, hoping he had more luck than to encounter a murderer.

His eyebrows arched in a light surprise when he came face to face with a young woman, a petite blonde with gorgeous emerald eyes, to be precise. She wore a denim dress that hitched way above her knees and high cowboy boots. A flowery scent that wafted to his nostrils seductively teased his senses.

"You need help," she spoke up first at his apparent speechlessness, with a tone that indicated more a statement than a question.

"Yeah," he breathed out. "My car's stuck. Could you give me a lift?"

"Sure," she nodded. "Get in."

He quickly ran to retrieve his belongings from the car and having locked it securely, jumped onto the seat of the jeep with relief.

"Thank God," he sighed. "And thank you."

"You're welcome," she acknowledged and pulled off. "Where are you headed?"

"Rachel."

"You're lucky, that's where I'm going."

He expected her to pose more questions but having received the answer about his destination, she kept quiet. One of his eyebrows arched up in challenge. He wasn't used to that sort of reaction from women. He was used to all sorts of reactions but certainly not indifference. And to be frank, the moment when he saw her angelic face, or rather her shapely leg, gave him hope that the trip might turn out better than he initially anticipated. Being closed up in a car with a girl that oozed sex appeal so effortlessly? Not a problem.

"I'm Derek," he introduced himself donning his master charming smile that was so irresistible to the opposite gender.

"Hi, Derek," she answered keeping her eyes steadily on the road and resumed her silence.

Derek's lips curled up in a smile. Feisty, he liked feisty.

"And you are…? Come on, don't tell me you don't talk to strangers?"

He watched with satisfaction when a brief smile lit up her features.

"I'm Meredith," she gave up.

"Meredith," he repeated her name. It was very melodic, he could already imagine whispering it into her neck while she moaned his. "Nice to meet you, Meredith."

She nodded but said no other word.

"I was afraid I had to spend the night in the car," he continued chatting. "I can't remember a crazy weather like that around here."

"Well, we get some pretty bad storms at the beginning of the season," she admitted. "You've just happened to arrive in the middle of one. Obviously not very prepared," she shot him and his clothes an amused look. "It's no Manhattan."

Seriously, where did this guy come from? Wearing expensive suits and driving luxurious cars through the dessert. He was not a tourist, those pursued a different route to the town. He had a way about him though, the self-confident insistence she knew so well. It was the aura of success in the big city. Thank God, it was all in her past now. Rachel was completely different, it was her place.

"You seem local," said Derek unexpectedly, "but… you're not."

She clenched her teeth, becoming wary once again.

"Obviously, you don't have the accent. And you don't have this naiveté-"

"What you're saying, that people here are stupid?"dangerous sparks flashed in her eyes. Rachel was her home, the best she ever had.

"Not stupid, no," he shrugged. "Just… straightforward. You seem intelligent on the other hand. And stunningly beautiful if I might add."

Great, just great. The day really didn't look so bad this morning. She saw patients for a couple of hours as usual, she got a call from Mr. Ramirez that his unborn son was coming to this world earlier than expected, and on the way back she had to meet an idiot who saw it as his obligation to hit on her. Of all the people, she had to be the one to pick up the only cocky bastard in forty-miles' radius from the side of the road. Just her luck.

"I am as local as one can be," she insisted proudly. "What are _you_ doing here? Came to see the aliens?"

"That rumor still circulating?" he laughed wholeheartedly, not realizing that he just committed another grievous mistake. Not that she was convinced that an extraterrestrial with bulbous eyes may pop in to her backyard but it was a part of the town's tradition and she felt personally offended. "No, I'm not here for this crap. I'm here for business… maybe for a bit of pleasure too."

She didn't turn her head but she knew, she felt viscerally that he was checking out her body from head to toe. In her own car! After she had rescued him! What a cocky son of a bitch! She should have left him to coyotes in the desert. Thankfully, there was a gas station nearby; she had a plan.

"Pleasure, you say?" she gave him a sultry look that she knew would signal a big grin light. "You know I'm just pulling over at the gas station. I'll need to _fill up_," she smiled suggestively, "and you can go inside if you need… _anything_. I'm a careful kind of girl you know…"

He smirked with satisfaction and she knew she had him when his eyes lazily travelled down her cleavage where a couple of top buttons of her dress were open.

She had to admit she liked the taste of vengeance. It was a long time since she played this kind of games with anyone. Life in Rachel just didn't require deception. She grinned wickedly watching him run into the little store, a jacket over his head to protect him from the rain that was still falling. She could clearly imagine the big shit eating grin on his face when he asked for condoms. She could also clearly imagine his jaw hitting the floor in shock when he saw her gone and his compact suitcase soaking lonely in the driveway.

Who was naïve now?

**A/N Love it? Hate it?**

**Please don't spare me your comments! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!**

**Love,**

**Em**


	2. Chapter 2: Second Strike Of Lightning

**A/N Thank you for all the comments after the first chapter! Your encouragement means a lot!**

**Rachel is a real town in Nevada though I have never been there. What you read about it in my story is based on an article I was to translate a while ago and my imagination. For everyone that has been there, I'm sorry for discrepancies. ;)**

**Enjoy! **

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Mer!" Cristina waved at her from the threshold of the inn. "You didn't come over last night. The phones were down. I thought you were abducted by aliens, bitch!" Fearing alien abduction was equal to worrying in the innkeeper's vocabulary.

"Sorry," she sighed apologetically and shut the door of her jeep. "I came back late from the Ramirez. The labor went on and on."

"What did that woman push out of herself this time?"

"Boy again, a healthy strong boy."

"Crap," grumbled Cristina. "Another stupid loser with a penis. That makes 79 total of them."

"Speaking of losers," smiled Meredith, relaxed, closing her eyes to bask her face in the morning sun. "You just won't believe what happened on my way back."

"You saw the light moving across the sky," quipped Cristina.

"I'd wish," said Meredith with a roll of her eyes. "Even for an army of aliens. But no, I picked a guy from the road."

Cristina slapped her on the back in the gesture of appreciation. "Just when I think you're boring, you rise!"

Meredith decided to ignore the insinuation. "It was a real downpour, I was taking the shortcut, when a guy jumps practically in front my jeep. A guy in Versace suit and some slick sports car!"

"Seriously?" Cristina cackled with laughter. "You're a magnet for weirdos."

"Tell me about it," she groaned. "He wanted me to drive him here so I thought - why not? He looked harmless except the stick up his ass. Only later he called this place a goddamn hole and practically said he wouldn't say no to a good old roll in the hay with me."

Cristina laughed so hard she pressed her palms on her stomach. She knew well enough any attempts to romance Meredith would have to end up bad for the so called cultprit. "Gosh, he dug his own grave. Get to the good part already and tell me what you did to him. Spare no details."

"I left him at the gas station thinking he was going to get lucky, kicked his precious baggage in the rain and drove away."

Cristina went on laughing. "You left him 30 miles away from here in the dead of night? In the raging storm?"

"Sure I did," answered Meredith proudly. "Hopefully that will teach him some lesson."

"God, I'd love to see his face," she bit her lips shaking her head and suddenly fixed her eyes on the car that halted on the other side of the street and the man who just got off. "How did he look?"

"How did he look?" Meredith scrunched her face pensively. "Ugh, not too ugly-"

"Too much black hair? About 5 ft. 9? Crooked nose?"

"Yeah, how do you…"

"Behind you," pointed Cristina.

Meredith whirled around almost expecting to bump into him but he was at a safe distance across the street.

"That's him?" inquired Cristina.

"Yup, that's the asshole," she murmured, the evil grin returning full force.

"Yup," nodded Cristina. "That would explain that disheveled look… as well as the death glare."

Laughter erupted in Meredith's throat. Those were the little moments in life to relish... Derek the-big-city guy looked like he'd just spent the worse night of his life.

"You sure it was Versace on him?" asked Cristina with a hint of pity.

"Positive. Saw the tag."

"Well, you wouldn't even wipe a table with it now."

Derek was all covered in dust, his shoes in dried mud, his hair was wild and unkempt and he gave an impression of general exhaustion. Apart from that, he managed to sport an utterly murderous scowl directed specially at her.

Meredith faked a little bow as though after a performance and prompted Cristina inside the inn.

"Come on, I'm starving," she said, her voice sparkling with amusement. "I haven't had breakfast yet."

"You haven't mentioned he was a hot piece of ass," remarked innocently Cristina laying the table for her friend.

"Ugh, is he?" asked Meredith.

"Please, Mer. You might be all righteous but not dead. Your denial intrigues me actually."

"Don't you think I have a constitutional right to deny that? He practically came all over me."

"I think he's still coming," said Cristina, her eyes again over Meredith's shoulder.

"Not again!" she groaned.

"I presume you're Cristina Yang?" his voice sounded close beside her. It bore none of its energy and suaveness from the previous night. It was rather strained and harsh, like its owner tried hard to keep his anger at bay.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

He knew since the beginning the damn trip was a horrible idea. He'd fire his incompetent lawyer on the next possible occasion. Last night was just too much. He could survive roaming for hours, lost around Rachel. He could even survive a night in his car surrounded by a storm. It wasn't even about waiting for good four hours at the gas station for another car to stop by, being driven 10 miles at the back of a truck and then hitchhiking another car. Really, it wasn't only about that. The worst was the feeling of humiliation the wicked witch named Meredith inflicted upon him. She had the body of an angel but the most sadistic of characters. She played him and this morning, she gloated about it. How he craved to wipe that smirk off her face.

And he would. He was going to stay here a couple of days anyway. Not now, not in the next five minutes, but he would find a way to get back at her. First he wanted, scratch that, he absolutely desired, to have a shower. He needed to scrape that dirt off his body. The driver left him in front of the diner, which was also the only inn in the town. Unfortunately, that was also where the witch disappeared with her friend. He felt like falling to the floor kicking and screaming when he was pointed into the direction of the inn's owner… sitting at the table with no other than the Meredith witch.

"Cristina Yang, I presume?" He gathered all his self-restraint and patience.

The young Asian he addressed exchanged looks with her friend and asked, "Why?"

"Why what?" he barely stopped himself from snapping. He was not in the mood for mind games.

"Why do you presume I'm Cristina Yang?" she looked at him as though he was an idiot.

He clenched his jaws, damn female solidarity. "I was told one Cristina Yang was sitting here."

"But there are two of us…" she stated making a sad face.

He closed his eyes briefly counting to ten backwards but they shot open when a stifled chuckle reached his ears. _Her_ stifled chuckle.

"Since I know that…" the word witch almost rolled off his tongue, "that she is not Cristina Yang I assume you have to be."

"That works," nodded Cristina. "So, what's up?"

"I'd like a room." His breathing eased out, maybe he was getting somewhere.

"Ohhh," cooed Cristina and the sad face returned. "I'm soo incredibly sorry. We're full."

Murder, his fingers just itched to commit one, or two. He turned back towards the reception where he saw a row of keys hanging peacefully. "What are those then?"

"Oh, the guests are all in town."

"At… This early in the morning? Doing what?" he spat realizing he didn't have his watch on his wrist.

"No need to be so obnoxious, sir," Cristina folded her arms over chest.

"Look, I'm from New York, like from the state of New York, like east coast-"

"Look, we're not stupid or naïve, sir," Cristina cut him across, deadpanned. "No, sir, we're not."

He passed his hand through his hair in frustration. Where was he going to sleep? Not to mention eat or maintain a proper level of hygiene. Also, he had no bloody idea how to get the Lexus from the desert…

Suddenly, as he absentmindedly peered out of the window, he was illuminated. They wanted to play dirty? They would play dirty. With a smirk forming on his lips, he hurried out of the inn tugging his battered suitcase behind him before the Sheriff drove off.

"You rocked, bitch," approved Meredith after he was out of earshot.

"Insulting both my person and my home? He had it coming."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" snorted Meredith impatiently ten minutes later, shaking her head and exchanging looks with Cristina, between Derek the asshole and Wayne Rigsby, the Sheriff. "And I don't have time for this."

"You see yourself, sir," sighed Rigsby to Derek. "I told you it couldn't be her. You must be mistaken-"

"Oh, I am not mistaken," insisted decidedly Derek. "She is quite unforgettable. And I don't think it's very professional to believe in everything the suspect says."

"How dare you!" shrieked Meredith. "I am not a suspect! Really, Wayne, this is too much! It's slander!"

"Now, sir," Rigsby once again addressed Derek. "You must calm yourself down."

Derek was speechless for a second. He should have known the locals sided with the locals. "She's the one who's hysterical. And she stole my watch. I can prove it!"

"I'm not a thief, you moron! Wayne, I'd like to make a complaint too!"

Rigsby scratched himself in the head. "You want to report a theft, doc?"

"No, a sexual assault," she gritted though her teeth, ignoring the fact the Cristina was all shaking with barely contained laughter, and pointed her finger at Derek. "He harassed me!"

"Woah, that's a serious crime," Rigsby shook his head and grabbed Derek's arm. "You've got to come with me, sir."

"This is ridiculous, this is ridiculous!" shouted Derek. "I haven't even touched her! I wouldn't if you paid me!"

"That's a good one!" snorted Meredith. "I could swear you it was you talking about pleasure yesterday, you perv!"

"That is quite enough," said Rigsby. "Sir, please, refrain from resisting-"

"I'm not resisting anything," spat Derek. "But I didn't touch her! She has no proof! Whereas, I can prove, I can _prove_, she has my watch. I can describe it to you! It's a silver Rolex with my name engraved on the back. I got it when I was nominated head of department!"

"It's slander! Just slander!"

"Look, Sheriff Rigsby, you're not going to take my words seriously, I'll pull the strings and you can say goodbye to your uniform for neglecting protocol!" said Derek desperately. In reality, he was catching at the straws. He was almost peeing in his pants by now. Getting arrested for sexual assault and his career and reputation were over. Apparently, Meredith was a tough adversary. Somehow, every word of her was taken as the absolute truth. "Check if she has the watch, just check… her car for example!"

"When and where exactly did you meet?" asked Rigsby, his head starting to throb painfully.

"Last night, when he harassed me!" argued Meredith.

"Yeah, last night, when she stole my watch!"

"Okay, last night. Where?"

"I was the kind helpful person I always am and picked him up on the way to Rachel. In the storm! What an ingrate!"

"You see, she admits," Derek latched onto her last sentence. "Check her car, just check her car!"

"Doc, mind if I take a look?" Wayne looked utmost apologetic.

"What? This is outrageous!"

"I know," he assured her quickly. "It's just a formality. Let's just have a look and I take him with me."

"Okay," she smiled. "Let's have a look. You'll find nothing."

Derek prayed that the watch would still be where he put it last night when he was trying to dry himself in Meredith's car. Because if she had disposed of it somewhere… he was royally screwed.

He watched in tension as Meredith opened her car to let Sheriff Rigsby inspect the interior. Even if he was scared shitless not to mention furious wit her, his brain somehow still registered how sexy and fresh she looked this morning. He didn't want to think that she was attractive, but hell, he couldn't exactly help it.

"Oh." A muffled sound came from Meredith's car.

"Ha!" Derek smiled in triumph. And relief. His ass was safe.

"What oh?" asked Meredith with a frown.

"Is this the watch, sir?" Rigsby stood up to his full height with a wristwatch he found in the little compartment on the door.

"As a matter of fact, it is!" laughed Derek. "I told you!"

"I… Oh, come on, Wayne! You don't think I'm a petty thief!" she shrieked, red on the face despite her best attempts not to. "He probably planted it in there himself! Besides, let's be reasonable, how would I struggle that watch from a piece of man like that?"

The cocky wiggling of his eyebrows told her the last part didn't come out exactly as she intended. She did her best to ignore the bastard. She was sure he was imagining her wrestling with him, probably panting and… Stop! She just didn't think that!

"I have to agree with the doc, sir," Wayne agreed with her immediately. "She's a little woman."

"Who's still pressing assault charges!" she reminded them.

"And I'm pressing the theft charges! The proof was there. We have witnesses."

Meredith's eyes swept around, taking in a dozen of passersby blatantly staring at the event. Great, the asshole made a public sensation out of her.

"Okay, maybe we should all cool down," proposed Rigsby. Even he started to think that maybe the whole affair was a big misunderstanding. "I don't think anyone really wants to press any charges here. Sir, did you see this woman stealing your watch?"

Derek sighed audibly. If he lied he would stepped into even a bigger shit. But gracious God, he was tempted. "No, I didn't."

"Good. Doc, did this man hurt you in any way?"

"No… not really," she sighed. "Although he is an asshole like you wouldn't believe! Is there a charge for that?"

"You're one little-"

"Stop! Stop that!" Rigsby put his arms in the air. "Doc, weren't you in a hurry? It's almost nine. And you, sir, walk away, sir."

"Fine," nodded Derek and grabbed his suitcase whereas Meredith got inside her jeep with a last vicious glare sent in his direction.

"Just one more thing," Derek stopped Rigsby. "I need a room. That woman said everything is booked but she's lying-"

"Sir, I think you should walk away," the Sheriff stated with a grim finality in his voice.

"Fine, fine… I'm going… Sheriff Rigsby?" asked Derek suddenly. "Why did you keep calling her doc?"

"'Cause she's a doctor," replied Wayne with an obvious shrug.

"A doctor? Wasn't Doctor Shepherd's practice the only one in town?"

"Sure it was," agreed Rigsby. "But Doc Shep, rest in peace, owned the half of the practice. She owns the other half."

"What's… what's her name?" he asked, feeling his excitement rising one again.

"Doctor Meredith Grey."

"Thank you, Sheriff. You've been of incredible help." Derek nodded with a satisfied mile and marched off with his suitcase. Well, well, well… The game was far from over. "M.E. Grey…" She was practically the reason he was here. They had business together… lots of unfinished business. Doctor Meredith Grey, he repeated her name once more in his mind. That had a familiar ring to it… but he couldn't pinpoint why.

**Comment?**

**Love,**

**Em**


	3. Chapter 3: Bump In The Night

**A/N It's my birthday today so I thought I'd give you an update instead of candy ;) Thank you for your encouragement, and please enjoy!**

Meredith loved her life in Rachel. Not that she hated it before but in this little charming town of Nevada it took completely different colors. Who would have thought? She was a child of big cities. She was born in Seattle, grew up in Boston, her career skyrocketed in New York, where also she had her heart broken.

Many of her friends and colleagues didn't understand her decision when she quit Mount Sinai. Presumably, she had had everything. She had an amazing career. By many she was considered a medical genius. She was the youngest fellow ever, the youngest surgeon ever to be awarded Harper-Avery. Money was never an issue to afford the illustrious life she led since being widely recognized in the medical field. And she had this special someone with whom she was going to spend the rest of her life. Until she was stabbed in the back where it hurt the most, leaving her with practically zero trust in people and an unbearable hatred to what was her passion and profession.

After that, she just couldn't find herself, she couldn't redefine herself. Her half-sister convinced her to go on a wild trip to Vegas to cheer her up. Little she knew her older sibling would choose to stay in Nevada for good. No, not in Vegas. The city was spectacular in itself, without a doubt. But it was not what her heart started beating for once again. Lexie, a great enthusiast of tourist attractions, dragged her to Rachel, a well-known alien spot close to the mysterious Area 51 when Uncle Sam was rumored to hide extraterrestrial beings and their spacecrafts.

Meredith fell in love with the place at the first sight. Not necessarily with the alien hype, though it definitely added to its charm. She loved the serenity, slow pace with which the sun governed the life in this desert region. She loved the people. They were straightforward. Not in the way Derek claimed. They were real, no make believe. If they were flawed they were honest about it.

Lexie popped in to one of the souvenir shops, hunting for perfect alien memorabilia, whereas Meredith sat down on a bench and soaked everything in. She wanted to sit there forever, to stay there forever. She felt it in her heart, it was reborn, her strength of will, her spark. She was brand new. The vacancy in the local practice was what ultimately convinced her to act on her insane urge. She signed the contract with Dr. William Shepherd the exact same day buying off half of the practice that was threatened with financial ruin, to Lexie's utter horror. But no rationalizations, arguments, threats or tears made her change her mind.

It wasn't easy at the beginning. She was an outsider, and not falling into the category of tourists who were cherished as they came, spent their money and left without fuss. She was here to stay which aroused suspicions. She didn't let that discourage her. She thrived on it. She lived to overcome the impossible. It wasn't long until she warmed her way into the hearts of Rachel folk. Everyone noticed the coarse streak of hers that made her fit right in. Plus, she was an excellent doctor who never denied extending her care to anyone.

Did she ever miss her previous life? She didn't have much time for it. Even for a town of nearly two hundred inhabitants, situations regarding medical attention were numerous, especially in the tourist season. Sometimes, in moments of idleness, she missed the closeness to her half-sisters and the hustle of the big hospital. But every second of her new life was worth it, every second of the last three years she spent in Rachel.

Meredith smiled over a cup of coffee. She was completely relaxed now thanks to the last few hours she spent with her patients. Derek the asshole was slowly fading into the background. He had irked her, brought bad memories to the surface, reminded her of the people she was once surrounded by. He was persistent too, the way he wanted to get back at her… unsuccessfully.

What was he doing in Rachel? She pondered on that question curiously stirring the contents of her coffee cup. She knew he was a New Yorker and was here for a closer unspecified business activity. That was weird. Cristina's inn was practically the alien centre and he clearly didn't arrive for her. And he seemed somehow familiar with Rachel.

She had to stop thinking about him. Which would be hard… she remarked sourly seeing the man enter the small coffee shop. She squinted scrutinizing his form. He looked nothing like this morning. He was freshly showered, freshly shaved, in freshly ironed clothes. How? Cristina's inn was the only place offering rooms before the season peak and she knew solidarity meant solidarity. Impossible that anyone from the locals would have helped him, certainly not after the scene in front of the inn.

Damn asshole spotted her. He had a new spring in his step, a new wave of confidence. What the hell was wrong with this picture?

"Ah, Meredith," he graced her with a wide grin that showed almost the entire set of teeth. She could hear the coffee girl's heart pounding out of her chest. And the drool falling to the floor with a loud splash. Seriously, he wasn't that good-looking…

The smell of his aftershave reached her as he halted beside her table. "Long time no see!"

"Can't say I share your enthusiasm," she muttered indifferently.

"Oh, come on, Mer," he frowned affectedly. "We both know you're not nearly this frigid."

"I'm not your Mer," she gritted out.

"Whose Mer are you then?" he asked curiously placing one of the chairs backwards and sitting down. He didn't see a ring on her slender finger and frankly, it would have to be some man to keep her in check.

"I'm not anyone's Mer. I don't belong to anyone."

"Right," he mocked her. "Like wildfire or something."

"Get lost, why won't you?"

"I don't really know anyone else in here. You're my frenemy soul."

"What the fuck are you doing in Rachel?" she spat abandoning all pretences, her temper getting the better of her again. "Are you here to annoy me?"

"Self-involved much?" he quipped. She didn't even suspect why he was here, nor that his plans concerned her greatly.

"You're wearing a different shirt," she remarked changing her tactics, her voice as calm as the air before the storm.

"You noticed, I'm touched."

"I wonder how many shirts you packed with you because," she grinned, "you might want to go back to NY immediately to buy some more," with the speed of light she spilled the remaining coffee straight onto his shirt. She hoped it was another Versace, Armani or whatever snobbish brand he chose to wear. Another point for her, another one of her triumphal exits that left him flabbergasted and open-mouthed.

Derek ate his reheated burger in a state of nonplussed resignation. His laptop had thoroughly soaked in the downpour and could now only serve as a huge beer coaster. Apparently, Uncle Bill didn't thought much of modern inventions as there was no TV set or even a radio in the whole house, for that was where Derek was staying.

When he was denied the place at the inn, the only logical solution was to find his uncle's home, correction, his house now. As a rightful owner, he was given the key. He was more than astounded when he actually saw it. He had expected a neglected ruin, not a neat recently renovated household. Electricity and running water weren't cut off yet, so far so good. If only he didn't feel so cut off from the world...

He lifted his head up with surprise hearing his cell phone ring. It wasn't working all day. He hurried to pick it up.

"Shep! Finally! Where the fuck have you been? We've been worried sick that you're lying dead somewhere in a sewer."

"Aw, nice to know you care, Markie," he quipped to his best friend since childhood. "Well, I have hit a little snag."

"Are you okay?" Sloan's voice was genuinely concerned.

"Yeah," chuckled Derek. "But I had a night from hell. I got lost, got stuck in a storm, abandoned on a gas station in the middle of nowhere-"

"Say again?"

"A woman that was driving me up to Rachel kicked me out. It took me the whole night of wandering and a voyage on the back of a truck in the cold desert night."

Mark's booming laughter exploded on the other side of the line. "What did you do to her?"

"Er, nothing, yet…"

"So you hit on her and the chick left your sorry ass behind!" he chortled. "Was she even worth it?"

"Ten out of ten," whistled Derek. "And that story's just getting more and more entertaining. I'm pretty positive we'll meet again…"

"Oh, I know that determined tone. She's a goner."

Derek smiled satisfactorily. There wasn't a more infuriating creature in the whole wide world than Meredith Grey. Their every encounter meant some kind of disaster for him, usually involving his clothes. But that made him lust for her even more. He could feel in his body that sex with her would be doubly satisfying, for his desire and drive for vengeance. And damn, one way or the other he would make it happen.

"How are the things at the hospital?"

"It's still standing, you know. Although, there might be nothing for you to come back to. I don't want to brag, but I've made a considerable progress with the red-head."

"Damn, Mark. You're playing dirty. You know well enough, I would have beat you if I were in New York."

"Yeah, right," snorted Mark. "Tells me a guy who just had his ass kicked by a chick."

"She'll be mine before I board the plane back. She'll be screaming my-" he trailed off hearing suspicious noises at the door. "I've gotta go. Tell Ma not to freak out, okay?"

Meredith carried the takeout dinner into the kitchen and was to lock the door of the practice, which contained also the loft she lived in, when her cell phone rang.

"Meredith Grey."

"Evening, Meredith," sounded the voice of one of her friends.

"Hey, Miranda. What's up? I haven't seen you in town lately."

"It's been a crazy few days, Tuck is very fussy. Teething takes all life out of him," she sighed.

"Poor little guy," said Meredith. She adored Miranda's little son being his godmother and the one who delivered him. "I can pop in to check up on him."

"That would be great but… listen, are you done with patients for today?" she asked with a hint of anxiousness.

"I… yes, I am. What's wrong?"

"I don't want to worry you… but someone's in the old doctor's house."

"What?" gasped Meredith and grabbed her car keys. "Someone's robbing the house? I can't believe it!"

"It… doesn't look like it," muttered Miranda peering through the blinds. "Whoever it is, they don't shy away. There's light in the kitchen and on the porch."

"What the hell!" Meredith was already on her way, a trail of dust flying behind her tires.

"I would send Tucker to check but he's in Vegas for the new truck."

"I'm on my way, thanks for the call, Miranda."

"You're welcome, I'll get the shotgun ready."

Ten minutes later she was at the place, joined by Miranda, a short plump woman in her thirties.

"Tuck's thankfully asleep so I'm here."

Meredith nodded at her, strode confidently towards the house and yanked at the doorknob.

"Locked," she muttered with a frown. She pulled her key from the pocket and opened the door cautiously. She would not let anyone steal from William's place. She would protect the house of the first person that welcomed her in Rachel and the one she almost regarded as her father.

Meredith cleared her throat and shouted. "This is a private home. Whoever you are come out here slowly , with your hands up. We have a gun and we are not afraid to use it!"

The mysterious intruder appeared in the hallway, not with his hands raised but occupied with a food plate, vocalizing what was going through her head.

"No way! No freaking way!"

Meredith's jaw muscles slacked and tightened all at once at the sight of the man that seemed to be the bane of her existence for since yesterday night. "You! What the hell are you doing here?"

"You know each other?" asked Miranda curiously, her eyebrows raised, lowering the shotgun.

"It's…it's Derek the asshole!" spat Meredith provoking a loud contemptuous snort on his part.

"And who's Derek the asshole, if I may ask?" Miranda's eyes pierced Derek.

"An agent of hell sent to make my life miserable!"

"You know I withdraw what I said earlier," argued Derek. "You're not a bit self-involved. You're the most self-involved person I've ever had the displeasure to meet. And it's me who gets to question what you are doing here."

"Oh, that's a good one," jeered Meredith. "You're going down for this, prissy. The Sheriff will have lots of fun with you. It's called breaking and entering."

"Duh, fine, let's go call the Sheriff," shrugged Derek, completely relaxed. At least this time he could be absolutely sure that from this battle he would come victorious. "I'll let you know that I'm the only person entitled to be in this house. I don't need to break in to enter, I have the key!" He triumphantly lifted the little piece of metal from the table in the hall.

"What?" frowned Meredith. "How did you get that?"

"From my lawyer," explained Derek with an air of superiority. He would prefer to reveal his identity to her in slightly different circumstances where he could squeeze more fun at her expense, but this worked too. "I'm Derek Shepherd. According to my uncle's will, his only heir."

For the first time, Meredith seemed temporarily mute. The grin on Derek's face widened.

"You're… you…" she stammered, a deep frown that said "I'm screwed" on her forehead. "You were supposed to be here next month! I've argued with your damn lawyer for weeks that I wanted to get this business done with quickly but you were supposed to be here next month!"

"Well, I'm a busy man," he answered arrogantly. "My schedule is very dynamic, my presence in New York is necessary next month, so I'm here now. We can... get the business done with quickly. That's what you want, right?"

It didn't escape her when his tongue darted to moisten his lower lip, strengthening the innuendo.

"You want to buy my share of the practice right?" he chuckled at her unresponsiveness.

"Right," she whispered weakly. "The house as well."

Great, he was holding all the cards. She needed to be the sole owner of the practice. She needed to hire another doctor as she was swamped with workload. And right now, Derek the asshole had the power to make her life hell, permanently. If he dared to sell the practice to someone else… to a stranger…

"We'll have so much fun discussing the terms," he said with an exaggerated excitement. The only response he got was her clenched jaw and the color rising on her cheeks. He had her pinned now. She wouldn't do anything against him in fear of losing the chance for the practice.

"So, if we have this little issue of my presence here cleared up, I suggest you leave," the apparently polite smile never left his features, it might have become more satisfied at the humiliation Meredith was experiencing being thrown out. "Or… you can stay. I've just finished dinner but we can think of a dessert…" he flashed her a suggestive look.

With a disgusted roll of her eyes she turned around to stalk out, followed by Miranda who was avidly watching the dispute.

"By the way," he called after her. "I guess you were the one taking care of my uncle's house? Paying the bills, dusting off? I'm truly grateful! I really needed a comfortable place to stay after last night. You're an angel!"

Meredith's mouth opened to bite back but Miranda pushed her out of the house.

"I'll see you later?" the cocky goodbye was the last thing they heard before the door closed behind them.

"So he's the real deal, huh?" said Miranda propping her shotgun on the ground as they stopped beside Meredith's car.

"I guess so," sighed Meredith, pacing up and down in powerless anger. "He has the key, he knows the details. And I don't have the strength to call Wayne to check up the story. It will only aggravate him further. He can really mess this up for me. And he will!"

"And it doesn't help he was practically undressing you with his eyes," Miranda remarked shrewdly.

"He didn't!"

"I know what I saw," shrugged Miranda. "Admit that's the main reason he pissed you off so much. You can't stand male attention."

"I can stand male attention!" argued Meredith hotly.

"Sorry, can't agree with that. You see the man who hurt you in every guy that takes interest in you."

"I've been out with Jackson!"

"Pray, tell me when was the last time?" snickered her friend. "You've got cold feet."

"I did not! I've… we've both been busy!"

"Keep telling yourself that," went on Miranda though her expression softened. "I know it's hard to shake off after what you've been through but… not every guy is out there to break your heart."

Meredith swallowed hard and stared at the ground beneath her feet. "I don't want to talk about this," she let out a shaky breath. "And I don't want you to insinuate anything about me and this… this big ape!"

"Duh," snorted Miranda. "Trust me, I have no intention of playing matchmaker for you and him. He's just an idiot with a lot of gel in his hair."

"I don't want you to play matchmaker for me at all!" protested Meredith, her arms folded tightly.

"Oh, that wouldn't be only me," Miranda couldn't help smiling. "That's the community's feeling. You're the benevolent single doctor. Rachel won't rest until we dance at your wedding."

"I should have known it couldn't be all roses in here…" she snorted gloomily. "You know that animals don't mate in captivity, right?"

"If you say so," Miranda patted her back. "I need to get back to Tuck, are you gonna step in for a coffee or tea?"

"No, I need to get back to the practice. It's all on my head. Izzie's an incredible help but there's only so much she can do as a nurse."

"Fair enough, if you want to avoid further discussion. Just remember you can call me any time."

"Thanks, Miranda. For everything."

After her friend departed, she stayed a moment propped against her car, looking at William's house. Initially after his death she only intended to buy the practice. But later she came to the conclusion that she could easily live in that house. Sure she had a comfortable, newly refurbished place at the practice but this was a real house, a home. It carried the traces of generations, of family life, it had the soothing atmosphere of tradition. She came to want this house. And now the arrogant dickhead from New York was so close to ruining her plans. She turned on her heel and kicked the tire of her jeep with all her might.

Inside the said house, Derek Shepherd was in a different mood altogether. He was relishing the victory. It was the best feeling in the world. He put his hands behind his head with a deep unperturbed sigh as he heard Meredith Grey's irritated shriek from outside. Yup, best feeling in the world.

**A/N Comments? Questions? **

**Have a great week!**

**Em**


	4. Chapter 4: Birth Of Light

**A/N I'm terribly sorry I haven't updated for ages. I'm posting the story also on another board so that's probably why I got so caught up in everything. Anyway, I've got quite a lot of chapters banked now so I'll be posting regularly.**

**Enjoy!**

"So, what do we have in the schedule, Iz?" asked Meredith pinching her nose.

"Bad night?" the blonde behind the reception counter said sympathetically.

"You could say that," sighed Meredith. That truth was she barely slept a wink last night, both out of frustration and worry.

"What's wrong?"

She didn't even have to open her mouth as the door opened loudly and she heard the hated chirpy voice, "Well, well, it's nice in here. Nicer than I expected."

She mustered all her patience and turned to him with an indifferent collected face. "It's not New York, Mr. Shepherd, but the practice is state-of-the-art."

"Mr. Shepherd?" the smirk she loathed so much returned in all its glory. "Last night it was Derek. Now it's Mr. Shepherd?"

Izzie gasped in a not so subtle way and Meredith's nails dug into her palm painfully as she stopped the stream of expletives spilling from her mouth. The vein in her temple pulsed dangerously.

"Izzie, Mr. Shepherd inherited William's part of the practice," she explained clearly. "Mr. Shepherd, this is Isobel Stevens, she works here as a nurse."

"Nice to meet you – can I call you Izzie?" he sent her a dazzling smile that Meredith was sure reduced the blonde to a puddle of warm goo.

"Sure, right. Of course! Nice to meet you too, Mr. Shepherd, we've been waiting for you."

Meredith stifled the snort in her throat.

"So, Meredith," he insistently kept calling her by her first name, "was basically right with her introduction but for one thing. I'm Dr. Shepherd, not Mr. Shepherd, for what it's worth."

"You're a doctor?" Meredith's head whirled back to him.

"I am," he nodded proudly. "A surgeon, to be precise. Head of neuro at New York Presbyterian. In New York as the name says."

If looks could kill he would have been struck dead this instant. Meredith boiled inside. She was sure she hadn't heard the phrase New York in her whole life as often as in the last few days. Now she was an ignorant woman doctor from the province? She was Dr. Quinn or something? Her name was in medical textbooks!

Suddenly, a shiver of fear ran down her spine. If he really was whom he claimed to be, he surely heard her name and her achievements. Especially, if he was a neurosurgeon, practicing her own specialty. She had to swallow her pride. She disappeared without a trace from medical world three years ago, no one here knew her near celebrity reputation, and that was to stay that way. Thank God he didn't make the connection yet. Well, what would Meredith Grey do in a place like Rachel when she could be anywhere in the whole wide world?

"That explains a lot," muttered Meredith under her breath. The oversized ago and God complex? Totally explicable now.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that, Meredith?" he grinned.

"Nothing," she smiled sourly. "Are you here to discuss the terms of the contract?"

"Meh, not quite," he scrunched his face.

"What? I thought we agreed we wanted to get this business done quickly."

"Oh, so that was what you meant by business. I wasn't entirely sure, and frankly, I was hoping for the other option."

"There's no other option," she glared. "If you're not prepared to discuss the contract, please don't interrupt. It's a workplace, we help people here."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't want to bug you," he chuckled. "I just came to see the place. After all, it belongs to me."

"Partly," she corrected him immediately. "Pertly belongs to you."

"Nonetheless, I'd like to have a tour-"

"As I've already mentioned, we have patients."

"I can show Dr. Shepherd around," volunteered Izzie, slightly taken aback by the verbal exchange between two doctors.

"Great-"

"That won't be necessary," Meredith quickly cut her off. Derek asshole Shepherd would undeniably see her loft, as it was the most unfortunately located in the part of the practice formally belonging to him, and she didn't want him anywhere near her room. God only knew what he would do there without surveillance... "I will show him everything… personally, after the office hours are over… Is that okay with you, Dr. Shepherd?" She knew he'd agree. He'd agree to anything that would entail irking her with his sole presence.

"Of course, Meredith. I can barely wait."

"Wow," chuckled Izzie after he left.

"Don't," ordered gravely Meredith. "Just don't."

"That Shepherd is a cute guy."

"Oh, come on!"

"He's dreamy!" giggled Izzie. "And he likes you!"

"He... doesn't like me!" whined Meredith. "He hates my guts, and vice versa! You think he was here to make friends? He came to drive me up the wall!"

"He was flirting with you," insisted Izzie. "You don't need to be so uptight, Mer."

Meredith stared at her openmouthed. Izzie slid a chart into her slack hands. "Mrs. Pots. She's your first patient this morning."

"You are not serious! No way!" chortled Cristina over her plate.

"Yeah! Can you believe that!" Meredith stabbed her mince pie viciously imagining it was Derek Shepherd's forehead.

"What are the odds?" laughed Cristina. "What are you gonna do?"

"Throw up probably," Meredith grimaced. "I bet he's gonna make me kiss his ass every step of the way."

"Think he's going to raise the price?" she looked around cautiously and lowered her voice. "Not like it's a problem for you. You sleep on money."

"No one knows about that," she scolded her with her eyes. "I want it to stay that way. And it's not only about money. He will make everything purposefully harder, just to get back at me. I know the type. Arrogant surgeon with a god complex and a control freak."

"You've got a lot in common," remarked innocently Cristina.

"Why do you do that?" gasped Meredith, insult clearly etched on her face. "You and Bailey! And Izzie! Do I look desperate for a man? I don't think so!"

"You need to get laid."

"I don't-"

"How long has it been since you had some carnal pleasure? Three years?"

"My heart is not in my vagina!"

"Who says anything about a heart? He just seems like might be good… you know, to… relieve some pressure…"

"The only thing he might be good at is spreading STD, I bet he gets around. I… I don't do casual, you know that Cristina," Meredith replied soberly. "I don't want casual. I had my share of being used in every way possible."

"You don't want a relationship either," argued the Asian.

"You're the one to talk, you're more single than me," Mer pointed out.

"Not by my choice exactly," remained Cristina sourly. "If Burke hadn't left, I would be married now."

"Possibly unhappily."

"You can't know that. You need to open up. Literally if not figuratively."

Meredith shook her head resignedly and stared out of the window for a while.

"You're telling me to open up to THIS guy?" she snorted. Cristina followed her eyes to see Derek Shepherd walking from building to building, with a puzzled expression on his face and Rachel tourist leaflet in his hands, probably looking for a specific address. He seemed more than lost as he paced up and down blocking the way for several passersby that rolled their eyes at him.

"Ok, you have a point here," she agreed.

"Try not to put more pressure on that arm, okay, Sam?" Meredith advised one of his patients that had strained a muscle working on his farm. "I know you've got a lot to do but right now, you need to slow down if you don't want it to turn nasty. There's no work without health, right?"

"Thanks a lot, Dr. Grey," he nodded gratefully and descended the three steps down onto the street.

"I hope you've got a free moment for me now," Derek came to a halt behind her. "Meredith…" he hesitated a bit calling her name.

"Sure," she replied letting out a long deep breath, "Follow me, if you please, Dr. Shepherd."

"Thank you. I've been wondering…" he said pensively. "Why do you let me call you by your first name? It must be annoying to you."

"It's not," she said shortly.

"Just a little."

"I don't care what you call me," she shrugged, leading him through the foyer.

"You did yesterday when I called you a thief."

"Well, if you don't see the difference, thanks," she nodded with unhidden sarcasm. "So this is the reception area, as you can clearly see. This is my office," she pointed at the door on the left. "That was William's office. There's a supply room at the back and two procedure rooms. Since we don't have a hospital in the vicinity, we prepared three rooms for patients upstairs, there's also a kitchen area."

Derek peeked interestedly into each of the mention rooms downstairs. He was professionally curious and couldn't deny feeling impressed. The practice was stunningly well equipped, clean and bright, patient-friendly. "Mind if I take a look?" he pointed in the direction of the stairs.

She let out a tired sigh but urged him to go up first. She was sure he would stare at her ass if he was to follow her.

"Hmm," Derek hummed appreciatively.

"We are giving our patients the best standard of care," she said proudly.

"And what's that?" he nodded at the closed door at the end of the corridor. "You said three rooms."

Of course, the asshole had to notice.

"It's… a private area."

"What private area?" he frowned at her.

"Private," she barked out, her pulse quickening as she saw his face muscles stretched into the infamous grin.

"I can't help noticing that the private area is on my side of the building. I have the right to know what it is exactly. You could be cooking meth in there, for all I know."

Her nostrils flared like those of a charging bull in rage. "It's… my private area, my room."

"What?" he was genuinely surprised. "Do you live here?"

"Yes, I live here. And I do have a right not to invite you to my home, thank you very much."

At that moment, they heard the door to the practice open, followed by a frantic man's voice.

"Doc? Dr. Grey? Are you here? Stella is… the little one is coming!"

"Tour's officially ended," stated Meredith categorically. "I have a patient in need."

She hurried down, Derek at her heels.

"Stella's in labor, Mr. Hodge?" she asked pulling her hair into a messy ponytail.

"Yes, Dr. Grey! And I think something's wrong! She's very still!"

"Go back to your farm, Mr. Hodge," she instructed calmly. I'll be on my way in five minutes. Everything's gonna be okay, all right?"

"Right, Doc! Going, going…"

"I need to get changed and leave so why don't you see yourself out!" She ran back upstairs without a second glance but as she was getting to her car in her cheapest and most worn out clothes, her annoying companion was still there.

"What?" she spat. "Don't you see I'm busy? Maybe you need your eyes tested?"

"You're willing to examine me?" he quipped.

She ignored the cheeky reply and got into her jeep.

"Wait! I want to go with you," he admitted.

She snorted thinking he was joking around. A scowl appeared on her face as soon as he opened the passenger door to her car.

"Hell, no! Get out!"

"I just want to see you in action," he grinned. "Uhm, at work."

"I'm not a part of your inheritance, you don't need to inspect me," she hissed.

"I… can't agree with that," he shook his head. "I need to see for myself if you're capable of handling the practice. I can't sell my uncle's life work just to anyone."

Fire, she could swear she was breathing fire by now. "Get. In." she gritted finally. Taser, she had a taser in the car for self-defense and she wasn't afraid to use it. Besides, he was wearing his expensive clothes again. Insert evil laughter.

"Just shut your front up, or I swear I'll push you out of the car at the full speed!"

He did keep his front shut, all the way from the practice to the farm that was some ten miles away. Not that he wanted to. He took an exquisite pleasure out of riling her up. It was unbelievably satisfying. Also visually. Every time Meredith got mad, a rosy blush graced her cheeks, and it spilled right onto her décolletage. And the way her chest was rising and falling when she was breathless…

But on the way to the ranch he couldn't really allow himself to be carried away with his wit. He was afraid that he'd throw up if he opened his mouth. He was accustomed to smooth low cars and the streets of a big city and wide highways, not bumpy country roads. What's more, Meredith was a violent driver. She didn't drive that terribly when they first met, probably due to the critical weather conditions. Now it seemed she had broken all existing speed limits.

"We're here," she announced taking the car to an abrupt stop.

"Thank God," he breathed out, leaning heavily against the dashboard. "You were trying to kill me, weren't you?"

"A bit self-involved?" she threw his own line at him. "Get out, Shepherd. If you decided to tag along, you can at least help."

"Okay," he breathed out several times and followed her out. His gynie rotation was a long time ago, but he was a surgeon for God's sake, a damn good one.

He pinched himself in disbelief when he saw her pulling out a big leather bag out of the back of her jeep. "That's your medical kit? Looks more like a vet's tool bag!"

"No shit, Sherlock!" she muttered and broke into a run around the house.

"Meredith?" he called after her in a complete puzzlement. When he caught up with her she was entering a barn. "What the…?"

He walked in. A whole large family seemed to be assembled near one of the boxes and Meredith was talking very fast with Mr. Hodge.

"Who's that?" a little girl sucking her thumb in her mouth asked loudly pointing him out with her finger as he approached the group.

Every pair of eyes fixed on him beadily, scrutinizing him. He could swear they didn't even blink.

"That's Dr. Shep," Meredith grinned at him nastily. "He's my assistant."

"Doesn't look like one," commented critically the woman who had to be Mrs. Hodge. "What's with the clothes?"

"He's got a lot to learn," Meredith shook her head. "Okay, all of you better leave us alone with Stella, okay? We don't want to stress her further. Mrs. Hodge you can stay, she might appreciate female company more. Dr. Shepherd, come over here, you're gonna help."

"Really?" he snorted, both his professional and male ego painfully stung. "What do you think makes me female company?"

"Oh, you're metro enough," she muttered absentmindedly and slipped into the box allowing Derek to take the first glimpse of the patient.

"This… this is Stella?" he almost choked. There was a beautiful black mare lying on the straw floor, clearly in distress.

"He's not very bright, Dr. Grey, this one," huffed Mrs. Hodge. "You're hiring him or what?"

"God forbid!" snorted Meredith and knelt beside Stella while he continued to stare at the scene before him. "Mrs. Hodge, can you tell me the precise time when the waters broke?"

"4… 5 minutes ago, Doc. But it's not coming along!"

"That leaves us less than a quarter of an hour to deliver the foal… or it will suffocate," muttered Meredith pulling on her gloves.

"I thought you were a doctor!" exclaimed Derek, a note of panic in his voice.

"I am a doctor," she gritted through her teeth.

"Do you even have the rights to treat patients? Human patients?" he corrected himself.

Meredith's jaws clenched. What was it with this man and his constantly getting under her skin?

"I have a medical degree, you moron! And that is the last time I'm explaining myself to you! Rachel doesn't have a vet. The guy that was doing the job moved away a couple of months ago and we can't find a replacement."

"Well that explains everything and nothing," he said sarcastically.

"It's a red-bag birth," breathed out Meredith, rummaging through her kit.

"What does that mean?" asked Derek.

"God, come and take a look. I didn't make you come here."

He stepped closer into the box and grimaced immediately. He was a doctor, he wasn't squeamish, but what he was looking at was a little disgusting.

"Ew, what is that?"

"Seriously? What med school did you go to?" she snorted giving him an incredulous look. Derek immediately felt like an ignorant intern being scolded by his attending. "It's the placenta, it didn't break which prevents the access to oxygen. We have to tear it manually."

Derek frowned again. This wasn't happening to him. He was just dreaming, right?

"Shepherd, come over here! I'm gonna need you!"

"I…" he muttered reluctantly.

"Stat!" she hissed dangerously. He knew well enough that if it wasn't for the horse's sake, his eardrums would have exploded at her shriek. "There's a spare pair of gloves, put them on!"

He obediently knelt down next to her. Karma hated him recently.

"When I make the cut, you start to pull," she instructed him.

"Pull on what?" To be honest, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Instead of answering, she punctured the placenta and they were able to see the foal's head and legs.

"Legs, pull at the legs," ordered Meredith while she cleared the horse's nostrils enabling him to breathe freely. With a tortured grunt, Derek obeyed her wish. What were his million-dollar surgeon hands reduced to do… If any of his colleagues from NY Pres saw him now…

Meredith soon joined his efforts and together they were able to free Stella's newborn from the placenta. They both landed on the straw with their bottoms, letting out a little gasp.

"Oh, thank God!" sighed Mrs. Hodge caressing the mare's head.

"You're beautiful, little one!" smiled Meredith at the foal, all black like his mother, as it fussed around and tried to stand up already. Stella seemed to get a new lease of life since she turned herself abruptly towards her child and started to lick him.

Meredith leaned over her and petted her gently on the head. "You're a strong girl! We are both strong girls."

In this exact moment, Derek felt as though he was smacked over the head, real hard. He wouldn't be able to explain why but he felt as though he was looking at one of the most stunning views in the world. Meredith was practically dressed in rags, now all dirty. Her hair messily encircled her face which was completely relaxed, elated. Her eyes were sparkling. An angel seemed to step down on earth. He felt that euphoria as well, it was contagious. He was standing there pretty much like an idiot, his hands slimy, another set of expensive clothes ruined, but he felt pretty damn happy. He could stand like this forever.

"Don't even think about it."

"Huh?" He whirled his head with a frown at Mrs. Hodge who was carefully observing him.

"We've already got a nice boy for her. Local," she hissed and moved out of the box to give the news to her husband.

What the hell? It wasn't like he wanted her. Well, okay, he did. That must have been pretty obvious to everyone around, including Meredith. But it was not like he wanted to marry her. He didn't want to marry anyone for that matter, he was too young to settle down… Though, if there was a woman who could keep his interest long enough, it would have to be Meredith.

"Thanks for dropping me here," said Derek as Meredith's car pulled up in front of William's house.

"That's fine," she shrugged. "It was on the way."

"And thanks for this evening. It was… interesting," he chuckled.

"You must be really suffering from the OR withdrawal," she smiled though she was positively surprised. He didn't seem to mind another clothes disaster.

"Yeah," he nodded, looking her carefully in the eye. Even though he left New York three days ago, he missed the scalpel. She understood…

They simply looked at each other in silence until Meredith felt self-conscious and awkward and broke the connection rubbing the back of her neck. "I… I gotta go. It's… late, you know."

"Sure," he smiled and got off.

"Derek," she called after him and the fact that she used his first name made his smile wider. "Do you think… we could discuss the contract… tomorrow for example?"

"Eh, you know, I don't get back to New York until next weekend." It was a spur of the moment really. He figured he might make this trip a sort of adventure holidays. Plus, he could be close to Meredith.

"So?" she blinked at him. "I need the practice running on full gear. I need to find a doctor."

"Yeah, I thought you needed help," he grinned. "And here I am. I can lend you a hand. You can have me for the whole week."

For a second, Meredith's face didn't express anything but a pure shock. And then-

"Ugh! Ass!" she shouted furiously, pulled the door closed almost clipping his fingers and drove off burning the tires.

"What?" he frowned after her car in disbelief rubbing his precious surgeon fingers with relief. He heard a whining of a dog somewhere close. There was a big brown spaniel lying lazily against his fence, with its long pinkish tongue rolled out, and seemed to look at Derek with pity. "I was just being nice," he explained to him. His only response was a long howl.

**A/N Please, let me know if you enjoy! I've been getting less and less reviews here and the reviews are what keeps up my motivation.**

**Love,**

**Em**


	5. Chapter 5: Written In The Stars

**AN Thank you for your wonderful comments! I meant to post it yesterday but 3D life made it impossible.**

**Enjoy!**

"Mer?" Izzie spoke up cautiously behind her, clearly wondering if her friend and boss didn't go a little insane.

"Yup?" asked Meredith sticking a piece of paper saying "Ask at the vet" onto the door.

"Why are you putting that up?"

"So that everyone would know to come through the back entrance," Meredith smiled with satisfaction. Thank God in heavens she forgot to tell Derek about the existence of another room in the practice. She usually drove to the place herself when an animal required medical attention but from time to time people came over with smaller ones. That was what the room was for. The vet office had even its own entrance which could also lead to the main part of the building. But only the locals knew it. And if a non-local needed help they would be directed straight to the right place without a problem. Except Derek…

"But the main entrance is fine," argued Izzie with wide eyes.

"Iz, I don't want Shepherd breathing down my neck," she said honestly. "He thinks he's a godsend to women and, heck, the whole humanity. I just want one peaceful day. Is that too much to ask?"

"Nope," shrugged Izzie. "You're the boss, Meredith."

"Come on," Meredith beckoned her inside. "It's almost nine, I'm sure he'll be here soon enough."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

It was almost nine. Thank God, the practice wasn't too far from his uncle's house. The chances of recovering his Lexus were very slim for the time being. The road service promised to be here in two days. He preferred to avoid Sheriff Rigsby and he didn't know anyone here. People were openly staring at him as he walked through the town, some of them holding hostile expressions. He wondered if this was Mrs. Hodge's doing and protectiveness of Meredith or the general fact that he was not from here.

He finally reached the steps of the practice and… took a double take. "Ask at the vet". What the hell did that mean? There was supposed to be no vet in Rachel. He tried the door. Locked. He took out his cell phone from his briefcase… Damn, he didn't know the number. He took a few steps back and swept over the building's façade. No sign of life. Meredith's car wasn't in the driveway. With a sigh, he decided to have a walk around the town. Maybe there was a veterinary clinic, a small scale one of course. There could be, there were a lot of ranchers around the town. Rachel was tiny, he would find the place eventually.

Little he knew, a keen devilish pair of eyes followed his every move from a crack in the blinds.

"Sucker!" she clenched her fist triumphantly.

"He took the bait?" asked Izzie with a half smile bringing Meredith a cup of coffee.

"Course he did," she laughed. "It's gonna be a good day. I can feel it."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Derek reached the end of the town. He didn't reach his goal though. There was clearly no vet in this part of town. And why Meredith would put up that notice was beyond his understanding. He abandoned the hope of getting information from the locals a long time ago. Whenever he tried to approach someone, they hastily went away or answered that they didn't know.

Upon returning to the centre, if there was one in Rachel, he decided to step inside the inn. Cristina Yang was Meredith's friend but she was clearly a nonnative. Maybe that was his chance.

"Ms. Yang," he sighed stopping at the reception.

"Dr. Shepherd," she answered mimicking his tone.

"I was wondering if you could point me the way to the vet."

He watched one of her eyebrows ride up. "There's no vet in Rachel."

"Really?" he snorted. "Because there's a note at the door of the practice telling patients to ask at the vet."

"Seriously?" asked Cristina.

"Yeah, seriously," he answered sarcastically.

"Well, sorry. I couldn't help you out anyway if there was a vet," shrugged the Asian.

"And why not?" he gritted out.

"I don't keep animals. Why would I care for a vet?"

Derek rolled his eyes. Smartass.

"Fine, can you give me Meredith's number?" he tried again.

"Sorry," she shook her head making a sad face.

"What again?" he dropped his hands to his sides.

"I'm not a pimp," she quipped.

"I want… I need to talk to her as a doctor," he stated clearly, his patience running thin.

"That's weird. Everyone knows the number to the doctor."

"_I_ don't know the number," he spat out. He was running in circles.

"Then you don't need a doctor."

"Why is this my morning…" he muttered irritated, walking out of the inn with an angry thud.

Cristina picked up a number on her phone grinning from ear to ear. "Mer? You evil mastermind…"

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Derek was simply exhausted. He just roamed the other side of Rachel, without achieving anything else than a pain in his legs. Being relatively small, the town was quite stretched out. He was in a good physical condition, he really was. He worked out regularly at the gym. He wanted to feel and look good. His job required him to be constantly on his feet. But he was never much of a tourist or a hiker and that was a slightly different type of activity.

It was also worth to be mentioned that he didn't have anything in his mouth since morning. Soon he wouldn't have anything to eat at the house anyway. Of course, they wouldn't accept his credit card at the local store. He didn't starve to death thanks to the souvenir shops sprouted all around like mushrooms. But he wouldn't get real healthy food in there, only stale sandwiches and confectionary. Life was a bitch.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't little Derek Shepherd!"

Derek jumped to his feet hearing his name called by a voice he didn't recognize. What he recognized was her appearance. The woman didn't look much different than over twenty-five years ago, with the exception of the number of lines of her face and the color of her hair that went from black to white.

He liked to call Meredith a witch in order to vent some of his anger. However, the woman who was standing in front of him was a real witch, or at least he believed so when he was a kid. Surely, the population of Rachel, including its adult part, still did, treating her with careful respect.

"Mrs... Fallon," he managed to recover. When he was a kid it was never Mrs. Fallon, it was always the witch. "You remember me?"

"Of course, I do," she laughed. "Who would forget that wild mane of hair? It's the Shepherd hair."

"Shepherd hair?" he chuckled. "There are no more Shepherds in Rachel."

"When I was young the Shepherds were the largest family in here," she recollected with a wistful smile. "And now you are here."

"I'm just…" he hesitated looking around. "I'm just passing through, so to speak. I do what I need to do and I'm out of here."

"So you say." He felt as though she was seeing right through him. She had that effect on people, which was probably the reason for her notoriety. "So they all say."

"I'm sorry? All?"

"There are folk who come and stay. Forever."

"Really?" he chuckled leniently.

"She did," Mrs. Fallon pointed with her head at the practice.

"Meredith? Knew she wasn't local. Why did she move here?" he inquired curiously with a hint of fascination. "Does she have family here?"

"Not my story to tell," she shrugged. "And I believe you have a more burning question for the time being?"

He frowned at her quizzically.

"Don't look at me like that. You should know I know everything by now. Just like I knew who was stealing apples from my garden."

"Um, sorry?"

She shook her head laughing at him.

"So where should I go?" he sighed pleadingly.

"Occam's razor," she answered simply.

"Occam's razor?" he repeated, his eyebrows going up in surprise.

"I may not have a university degree and I have spent all my life in Rachel but as I said, I know things. Apparently, you are the one who doesn't," she remarked lightly.

"Okay, my bad," he admitted. "But what's with the Occam's razor."

"I really couldn't have been more precise," she grinned.

"The best solution is the simplest," Derek thought aloud and then looked sharply at the practice. "Don't tell me…" he muttered as humiliation coursed in his veins. "She did it on purpose, didn't she? I should have known… thanks by the way," he nodded and walked back up to the practice. The main door was still closed but this time, he took his time to search for another.

"Derek Shepherd?" Mrs. Fallon called after him.

"Yeah?"

"You need to be careful what you chase after," she stated, her eyes looking especially bright.

"Careful? I don't think anything worse can happen to me."

"Men tend to lose their hearts in pursuit of their goals."

"What… does that mean?" he frowned at her.

"I'm just saying, it's hard to live without a heart."

"Okay," he nodded though he didn't understand at all what she was getting at. "By the way, why did you help me?"

She shrugged a little. "You should not hold it against the people, they just want to protect what they see as theirs."

"Which is what? I don't even know them!"

"Hopefully, when we talk in a few months' time, you'll be wiser."

"I won't be here in a few month's time," he denied decidedly. "I'm gonna sell the house, sell the practice and be back in New York next week."

"Well, then you should hurry," she smiled mysteriously and turned to walk away.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith saw her patient off to learn with a slight surprise that she had one more patient waiting. Weird, Izzie didn't bring her any more charts before she left. They had a patient requiring daily injections and it was usually the blonde nurse that took care of it.

"Sir? Are you waiting for me?" Meredith addressed the man who was sitting in the lobby, almost completely hidden by a broadsheet paper, held upside down… Wait a minute, she knew that expansive shoes, the slacks…

"Yes, I am waiting for you," he said crisply, angrily throwing the paper onto the seat beside.

"Dr. Shepherd," Meredith raised her eyebrows in a mock surprise. The idiot somehow managed to make his way into the practice. Well, at least she spent a peaceful quiet day. "I honestly didn't expect to see you today… despite your yesterday's declaration."

"You," he chuckled shaking his head and got to his feet approaching her like a snake ready to strike. "You are a piece of work!"

"You look quite flushed, Dr. Shepherd. What's the matter?"

"You think you're so smart. You think you can play me. You're sadly mistaken," he gritted out.

"Oh," she smiled from ear to ear. "How was your trip around town? Entertaining I hope?"

"That was a battle," he gritted through his teeth. "I'll win the war. You can't take me." He said threateningly, his voice steady.

".on," she challenged him mimicking his stance.

"With pleasure," his stormy expression transformed into a vicious smirk. "My keys, please." He extended his hand towards her.

She frowned at him as though he had lost it.

"Don't you understand English? I'm talking about my keys to the practice."

"That's out of the question," she snorted loudly.

"No, it actually is what the law says. I am the co-owner, whether you like it or not. I have the right to be here anytime I want. I still haven't received my set and I'd like to have it now. Right now," he underlined.

"No way," she shook her head. "I'm not going along with this. This is my work, my world, my life. You're not gonna screw it up for me!"

"Why do you hate me so much?" he asked curiously. "Not that I care, I'm just intrigued. What exactly don't you like about me?"

"That would be epic to explain," she riposted.

"Really? I think you have some serious issues. You hate men that are attractive to women," he squinted at her.

"Oh, don't flatter yourself. You're not that good looking."

"I actually am. But maybe it's the fact that I'm a neurosurgeon-"

"Okay, I swear I'm gonna puke all over your shoes if you make me listen to your I'm-a-self-important-badass-surgeon talk!"

Suddenly, the sound of someone clearing their throat made them jump apart from each other.

"Uhm, I don't wanna interrupt anything," Cristina Yang was standing at the door with a knowing smirk on her lips, "but, you know, Mer, we were supposed to have a drink. Alex has just got back."

"You're not interrupting anything!" Meredith's voice rose to a shriek.

"If you say so," shrugged Derek.

"I do say so. We're going, Cristina. I'll just take my jacket."

"And you'll give me my keys," he reminded. "Suffering from short term memory disorder?"

"Are you suffering from compulsive asshole disorder?" she quipped.

"You sure you don't want me to leave?" cut in Cristina, highly entertained. "So you can continue the foreplay alone, lovebirds?"

"It's not foreplay," Meredith growled at her best friend traitorous act that was making Derek all gloat in hilarity. "I'd call it a prelude to murder."

"You think you're gonna scare me with your ineffectual fists?" he laughed, casually leaning back against the counter.

"I'm pretty sure a blind squirrel could kick your ass."

"Okay, that is my cue to leave," Cristina rolled her eyes and paraded out of the building. "Just remember, no glove no love!"

"Ugh," grimaced Meredith and dived her hand across the counter. "Take your damn keys and leave the hell out of here!"

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

The inn Under The Alien was bustling as usual on Friday night. Locals and tourists alike besieged every table inside and on the patio. Friday night was the time of relaxation over a friendly drink.

"Izzie's been telling me there's a new dude in town," said Alex Karev sitting down with Meredith, Cristina and said Izzie who was his girlfriend. Alex who was a truck driver and he just got back from his usual route which went along the states of the west coast. He wasn't in Rachel for two weeks and was willing to hear some newest gossip.

"He's Shepherd's…" trailed off Cristina. "Who is he to Shepherd anyway? A nephew?"

"No, I don't think so," Meredith shook her head. "William didn't have a brother. And can we please not talk about him? I really have enough."

"So, it doesn't matter who he is anyway, daughter, mother or sister; what matters is that he got the share of the practice and Mer's dream home," Cristina continued despite her best friend's protests.

"So what's the deal with guy?" asked Alex. "I could hear Iz bouncing on her seat over the phone."

"He's hot!" giggled Izzie, drinking her tequila shot too quickly.

"Not cool," Alex eyed her with reproach and a hint of jealousy.

"Easy there, Karev," snorted Cristina. "He has no interest in Barbie anyway. He's got a thing for Mer."

"He does not have a thing for me," stated Meredith, her voice strained. "And how many times do I have to repeat, he's not that hot! He only tries. Too much I think. And he's a total dick."

"He's been making problems for you?" asked Alex seriously. "You want me to talk to this guy?"

"Thanks, Alex, but don't bother. He's an uptight suit with a God complex. He might take your ass to court or something if you look at him the bad way."

"Yeah, she's onto something here. He almost landed Mer in jail for theft," snickered Cristina.

"Say what?"

"Yeah, like that would happen," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"And she accused him of trying to stick his needle where it doesn't belong!"

"Meredith! What exactly happened-"

"I told you she was exaggerating. And I can take care of myself perfectly fine, I don't need a guy to breathe for me."

"And she's just bitchy," went on Cristina, "because in spite of herself, just a teeny tiny bit, she's enjoying all that dancing around-"

"Are you out of your mind? I am not a masochist! I do not-"

"Hey, guys!" Jackson Avery joined them with a smile, shaking hands with Alex. "Meredith- Is everything okay? You look flushed."

"Oh, I… feel hot. It's hot. You know, I think it's time for me," she muttered and got to her feet. She didn't think she could stand any more teasing on Cristina's part.

"Can I walk with you?" offered Jackson, a hope in his eyes.

"I… yeah, sure. Why not," she nodded quickly and trotted out of the inn.

They walked in silence most of the way, neither of them really knowing what to say. But it gave Meredith the time to cool down.

"So, it's been a long time since we were out… just the two of us, I mean," he commenced awkwardly.

"Yeah, it has. It's been… pretty insane lately. And now I have to worry about the practice too. And you've had that business thing to take care off. How… how did that go?" she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear as she peered at him.

A wide smile appeared on his face at how beautiful she looked in that moment, gazing up at him from under her eyelashes, a wind playing with her hair.

"Great actually," he said with enthusiasm. "Me and my father are going to supply a chain of restaurants in Vegas."

"That's wonderful," she smiled for him as they halted before the practice. "You've really earned it."

"Thank you," he said in a softer note. "Meredith…"

He gently took her hand in his and slowly leaned towards her. She reciprocated the movement until they were just inches apart, her heart beating like mad though she couldn't tell if it was out of excitement or pure panic. Just before their lips could meet, she pulled away embarrassedly.

"Jackson," her voice trembled just a tad. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"No, I'm sorry," he assured quickly, still holding her hand. "You're not ready, I get it. We'll go at your pace."

"Thank you," she smiled apologetically. "You're really sweet. I… gotta go."

"Meredith?" he asked as she took the keys out of her bag. "It's not about this guy, is it?"

"What guy?" she asked though she had a feeling she knew.

"Shepherd from New York. He's always following you around-"

"Jackson," Meredith stopped him raising her hand. "Do you honestly want to tell me you believe in gossip? I'd never take interest in a guy like him, you should know that. He's a total tool!"

"Okay, sorry I asked," he smiled and his face was more relaxed now. "I'll see you?"

"Yeah," she planted a tiny kiss on his cheek. "Call me, we'll go out some night."

She watched his retreating back from the steps of the practice. When he disappeared around the corner, she sat down at the bottom step and gazed up at the sky. It was her favorite thing to do when she was alone and in a melancholic mood. She used to do it New York every other night. At that time, she wasn't doing it alone though. She was always snuggled into her fiancé's warm embrace as they admired the stars together. That was also the reason why she couldn't bear to look up during the night for several months before her arrival to Rachel. They skies were still the same and were mocking her from their mighty position. Rachel changed everything. The sky was the same yet different. It was soothing.

Meredith sighed as her eyes moved from one twinkling star to another. Jackson Avery was every girl's dream-come-through. He was handsome, he was honest, considerate. And of course, he was Rachel-approved. No other local guy would even approach her (not that there were many of them in general) as she and Jackson came to be regarded almost as a couple. The community, however, didn't know that she had sworn off men. Everyone was of the opinion that she was plain picky. In reality, she had lost all romantic interest in men after… Mitch… there you go, she said his name aloud, well, aloud in her thoughts. And to be honest, it wasn't his real name anyway.

After the fifth guy she was set up with by her new friends, she decided to give it a rest and meet with Jackson. She told him at the start that it didn't mean anything and it would be probably a long way, if ever, before it meant something. He was absolutely fine with it.

They became good friends, they went out from time to time, occasionally holding hands. The slow pace suited her. If she was able to chose a guy to fall in love with, it would be him. She enjoyed their time together and thought that maybe, just maybe, when she was whole and healed, they could try something else than friendship. Tonight she had grave doubts. It was as though something had shifted since she last saw him but she couldn't pinpoint what…

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

For the lack of better entertainment, Derek spent his evening playing with the brown dog that had wandered in to his house a few days ago. The spaniel lounged out in the porch and refused to leave ever since. Probably because Derek couldn't help feeding him.

Derek set aside the embarrassing feeling that only a stray dog was eager to socialize with him in this town and ruffled his head.

"So what's your name, buddy?" he reached his hand and the dog immediately gave him his paw. "Rex?"

The spaniel lied down on his stomach looking at Derek expectantly. "No? Max?" He gave out a little growl.

"No, I guess it's not," chuckled Derek. "Um, Sam? Duke? Rocky? Bert?"

The dog barked appreciatively and wagged his tail.

"Seriously?" frowned Derek. "I was joking… Fine, fine, I'll call you Bert," he promised quickly when the spaniel gritted his teeth.

"You probably want a snack know, don't you?" With a sigh he disappeared into the house to be back outside seconds later with a couple of toasts in his hand.

"It's really all I've got," he sighed. He lived on toasts for the past few days. He was getting a stomach ache just by looking at them.

Derek saw his neighbor from across the road return with her little son in the stroller and contemplated asking her for help but… he still vividly remembered the shot gun the woman brought over when she came to help out Meredith. He preferred to be hungry rather than dead. He hated this place.

When Bert busied himself with the toasts, Derek raised his head and let his eyes lingered on the stars that lit up one after one. At least the sky was beautiful here. That he couldn't deny.

**And comment please! ;)**

**Em**


	6. Chapter 6: See The Sun

**AN ****Thank you for all the comments! **

**Please enjoy the update…**

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Meredith opened her eyes abruptly woken by an energetic knocking on the door. Not the practice door, that would have to be the doorbell. Someone was knocking on her bedroom door, someone meaning Izzie. No one else could be at her door at… she groggily gazed at her bedside clock, at 6 fucking a.m. in the morning.

The knocking went on.

"Gettin' up, gettin'," she muttered, disgruntled, pulling herself up to a sitting position.

With a yawn, she slid from the bed, allowing her feet to sink into the thick carpet. She loved that carpet. Ah, the simplest pleasures seemed the best at the crack of dawn.

"Coming," she called loudly. Come to think of it, why hadn't Izzie barged into her room already like she was used to? "Where's the fire, Izzz-" she got stuck at that monosyllable as having opened the door, she noticed her visitor was most certainly not Izzie. Unless Izzie dyed her hair black and went through a transgender surgery in the course of last night. Nope, unlikely.

Derek Shepherd. Who else would enjoy poisoning her life from the early morning… After an embarrassingly long moment before her befuddled brain could react in any way, she just stood there with a messy mop of sleepy hair and her skimpy pajamas consisting only of a short top and boy shorts. If he ever wondered about her body, and he undoubtedly did, his curiosity might have just been satisfied. She would throw herself under a truck if her nipple peeked out. She had a strong suspicion it did since the perv's eyes were glued at the level of her left breast as if it was a world wonder.

She hid herself behind the door with a shriek, all her sleepiness gone, "What are you doing here?" Of course, she knew a disaster was imminent when she passed him the practice keys.

For the first time this morning, his eyes settled on her face, for the lack of any other body part of her visible, and said, "I'm hungry."

Meredith's jaw went down disbelievingly, "Say what?"

"Actually, I'm starving."

"Okay, I don't give a flying fuck why you chose to share with me that fascinating piece of information but I'm not your-"

"It's your fault!" he reproached her. "Thanks to you everyone is cold shouldering me. No one's even going to sell my anything, including food. I've been living on old toasts, chewing gum and muffins for the last few days. This is paranoid! It's middle ages!"

"You overestimate me," she snorted. "No one wants to help you because they see you're an ass!"

"Oh, come one. You know as well as I do they will do anything if you tell them to."

"You're clearly deluded," she rolled her eyes becoming tired of hiding behind the door in her own home. "They _might_ do something if I _asked_ them. I can't think of a reason why I would ask them anything on your behalf."

"You owe me," he pointed out accusingly. "For your little stunt yesterday."

"You had it coming for trying to make my life miserable!"

"You're bound by the oath! Do no harm!"

"Seriously, you're pulling the doctor crap on me?" she moved to fold her arms in front of her but jumped right aside realizing she was giving him another eyeful.

"I am," he said firmly, leaning against the doorframe with his arm outstretched. "I want to have a real breakfast. And you'll help me or I won't move an inch," he warned her, putting one foot forward in order to prevent her from shutting the door. "I can also pull your-apartment-is-on-my-side-of-the-building crap. Take your pick, I don't give a flying fuck," he hectored mockingly mirroring her earlier arrogance.

"Fine! Fine!" she spat out feeling the control ropes slipping from her grasp. He had her in this one. "Go to the kitchen and help yourself! Just get out of my sight!"

"Thank you for your kindness," he snorted. "I want you to go the store with me and show this narrow-minded folk to treat me like a human being."

"You would have to be one first! Fine, I'll go to that goddamn store when I have time. Now I'm going to get my two precious hours of sleep. I've already told you, go to the kitchen and help yourself. I'm not your damn maid! Just don't eat the whole content of my fridge, don't make noise and don't even try to go into my room! I'm locking it anyway!"

Derek finally relinquished and she shut the door violently. He let out a deep sigh of relief, that was progress. Sorta… he chuckled when he heard the metallic click of the lock. Not that he could blame her for it. He probably had dirty in his eyes the whole time they were sparring. He couldn't help it though. The way she looked in that flimsy pajamas… He would gladly trade his breakfast for her… He hoped for the strap of her top to slide down but somehow his willpower wasn't effective enough.

"Get the hell away from the door!" Meredith's irritated shout reached his ears. "It's creepy!"

With an amused shake of his head, he finally headed for the kitchen. Breakfast time. His insides were squirming impatiently.

His face fell spectacularly when he opened the fridge. This was a joke right? Leftover pizza? A single apple and a lump of cheese? Did she seriously tell him not to eat out the whole fridge? With a snort, he took everything out. She might throw another fit but at least she would have to do the shopping with him.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

About two and a half hours later, Meredith went downstairs to start her workday. She held a tiny glimmer of hope that maybe Derek Shepherd would leave her the hell alone but the sound of his voice, accompanied by Izzie's dispersed all illusions.

"Seeing that you cleaned out all my food I'd think you were gone by now," she remarked sourly reaching for her lab coat. Derek Shepherd was lucky she had a portion of chocolate cake in her secret stash, otherwise, she would be forced to kill him for eating her leftover pizza.

"Did you forget?" he sent her a wide grin. His breakfast wasn't exactly what he'd wish to be but it still left him invigorated an in generally good mood. "I'm here to work."

"Again with that one!"

"He might actually be of help today, Mer," Izzie interrupted sneakily. "We have quite a busy day. Two vaccinations, 3 weekly appointments, Tom Brewer called he's on his way, his son hurt his arm falling from a tree and-"

"That's quite enough, Iz," she hissed sending her a death glare. "You're not his PR rep."

"Well, he's my boss too," shrugged the blonde while Derek nodded approvingly.

"Not for long."

"We don't know that," remarked airily Derek.

"God must hate me to treat me this cruelly."

The conversation was interrupted by a woman entering the practice. "Dr. Grey?" she asked shyly. "I know it's early but-"

"Don't worry, Mrs. Fry," Meredith assured her warmly. "I'm all set up and ready to start the day so-"

"Don't you think we should discuss how we're going to share our patients?" cut in Derek and looked around the counter. "Where's her chart?"

Mrs. Fry's eyes went wide as saucers as though she was scared Derek might abduct her any minute.

"Mrs. Fry, please go to my office and wait for me, I'll be with you in a minute," Meredith assured calmly. "Dr. Shepherd, I'd like a word with you. Now," she barked shoving him on the arm when he was protesting. A little part of her brain, which she immediately vowed to silence, registered approvingly the hard muscle beneath that silky shirt of his.

She pushed him inside William's office and looked him carefully in the eye.

"What?" he frowned.

"Look around, look around this office, Dr. Shepherd," she gestured around with her arm. "This is not your office in New York. No leather couches or your favorite gadgets. It's not a hospital where you're the head of a department. You don't have an army of residents at your back and call. You're your own resident and attending. You do everything by yourself. You talk with the patient, complete their medical history, examine them, do whatever it takes to help them."

"I understand that," he said quickly.

"Do you, Derek?" she asked skeptically.

"I am a doctor and I actually care for my patients," he argued, a little color rising on his cheeks. "And I am perfectly capable of treating them in Rachel."

"Not yet, no. Just hear me out," she advised him. "Our town now counts over 160 people. A little community, but a community nonetheless. And the members of this community have similar needs like in every other community. But there were, or are, just two doctors."

"Where are you going with this?"

"I want you to understand that sometimes I need to be an every doctor not just a-" she hung off almost catching herself at telling too much. "Sometimes you need to have to be a doctor of every specialty. That woman who's just came in? She's not physically sick. Her health is exemplary. But you know what? Her son had a car accident in Vegas two months ago. They managed to save him but he never regained consciousness, he's in coma. And now his systems are all shutting down one after the other."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "What's his condition? I can have a look at him."

"The case has already been reviewed by one of the best neurologists," she let herself say. He didn't need to know she was talking about herself. "And there was nothing we could do for him. The amount of the trauma sustained is the underlying problem. His organism cannot recover. We can't help him. But we can help her, his mother."

"You're giving her… psychological help?"

"I wouldn't go as far as to call it psychological help. It's not my specialty. But I have read literature, and spent a lot of time talking to people. They have problems, they have fears, they have addictions. They won't go hundreds of miles just to see a shrink. They would never agree to see a shrink per se. But they want to talk. And here I am for that. So don't try to tell me you're taking these patients with whom I've been working for quite a time now."

"I'm sorry," he admitted. "I won't interfere. But it doesn't change the fact that I'd like to help."

"Okay," she sighed loudly. "You'll take Mr. Brewer's kid for a start. We'll see how it goes."

She left him standing in his room in wonder. Most of the time Meredith Grey evoked in him an urge to bury her alive, after getting his way with her first of course. But the way she talked about her patients, with that fierce spark in her eyes... It took his breath away. It was obvious how deeply she cared for these people. How amazing it would be to get on her good side…

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith copied her last notes into her patient's file and put away the pen. She was done for the day and she was tired. Shepherd's assistance didn't lessen her workload a bit. She was pulled away from her patients every now and then when he had a question, or when a local didn't want to be treated by him. Shepherd. He was making her head hurt.

She hung her lab coat around her chair and walked out of her office stretching herself and wondering what she should do with her evening. She didn't feel like going to see Cristina. Her comments from the previous night still irked her like hell. When she entered the waiting area, her eyes saw something she didn't expect to witness.

Derek was apparently seeing off his last patient. He actually had a patient. Well, that was easily explicable. The woman and her daughter weren't from Rachel.

Meredith watched with surprise as the dark-haired doctor knelt beside the little girl that kept laughing madly. To her delight, he performed a sort of magical trick pulling a candy from behind her ear. She burst into giggles and took it, blushing furiously. The mother was equally enraptured. Meredith grimaced sourly, apparently Shepherd charm worked on everyone with a vagina. But, she had to admit he was good with kids. She wondered if he had his own. Well, he didn't wear a ring. On the other hand, seeing how he hit on her minutes after he had met her… he could have hundreds of love children. Not that she should be concerned with Derek Shepherd's children in any way, she chastised herself quietly.

"That was my last patient. I actually had two of them today," he chuckled but she clearly distinguished the hint of pride he tried to hide. Maybe she was a bit too harsh in her judgment earlier this day.

"I'm finished too."

"Great," he brought his hands together. "We can go now."

"Go where?" she asked warily.

"To the store of course."

She raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Look-"

"No, no excuses, you're coming with me," he declared. "They won't sell a dead cat to me without you."

"Can you tell me how you have survived so far?" she arched her eyebrows. "And I can't even imagine how you managed to complete such a demanding program as surgical residency. Unless it was some second rate hospital-"

"NY Pres," he quickly provided the information. "Internship, residency, fellowship, head of neuro for five years and the future chief, all New York Presbyterian."

"You plan to be buried there too if you kick the bucket?" she quipped, unimpressed.

He rolled his eyes, a bit stung, and beckoned her outside. "Shopping, now."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"This is so embarrassing," Meredith muttered under her breath, her face buried in her hair as she inconspicuously looked around. She could feel a million pairs of eyes on her as she led Derek to the store.

"What, walking beside me in the street is embarrassing?" he chuckled. "What if were to hold hands?"

"My arm would fall off."

"Really? That would be very interesting from the medical point of view," he said. Seconds later a shiver ran through her spine as she felt his thumb grazing her palm. She couldn't be faster to wrap her arms around her, praying no one saw it. Apparently, there was already enough gossip circulating about them.

"Keep. your. damn. limbs to yourself," she gritted through her teeth.

"I just wanted to check if your hand would fall off," he laughed. "And it's still firmly attached to the rest of your body."

"You have no interest in my body."

"Who would have thought you were such a prude," he commented.

"I'm not a prude."

"You so are."

"Am not."

"You are."

"If you only knew," she snorted.

"Care to show me?" he smiled giving her smoldering look.

"I've already told you you have no interest in my body!"

"Why did you try to convince me you're not a prude then?"

Meredith stared ahead of her. "Shut up."

"Meredith? You have goose bumps," he added conversationally.

"Ugh!" she quickened her step getting away from him.

"Okay, okay!" he caught up with her with a smile. "I'll refrain myself from making such inappropriate comments."

"How gracious of you."

"But it's going to be hard given the fact how stunningly beautiful you are," he sent her a charming smile.

"I thought the message was clear enough," she huffed. "Those pants are staying on."

"What about when you're wearing a skirt?"

"You're such a manwhore."

"Me? Not a manwhore. I like sex but I have rules."

"Really?" she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, for example I don't sleep with married women. My best friend, now, he's a manwhore."

"Yeah, right, I bet New York is full of little illegitimate Shepherds." She couldn't stop her curiosity.

"I don't have children," he informed her. "But true, there are a lot of little Shepherds in New York. I have four sisters, all very girly, well except one. Nine nieces and five nephews in total."

"Wow," she said. So that was why he got along with the little girl so well. He probably had lots of experience.

"Okay, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Well, I said something about me, now it's your turn."

"I didn't ask you to share, I wasn't even curious."

"You're a killjoy," he whined. "And just to clarify, I really don't have sex with everything that walks."

"Somehow your behavior the night we met makes me think otherwise."

"I was stressed, I was somewhere I didn't want to be and-"

"Oh, so you thought you'd go for a little stress reliever with the blond from the province," she said angrily, reproaching herself for feeling hurt. Why would she care at all. "That just makes everything better."

"Meredith, this… come out bad, it's not like that," for the first time he sounded serious. "You didn't let me finish. You just… had this something, you have this something. That I liked. I thought we could have a nice time together."

"Forget about it," she spat out. "I'm not a philandering whore."

"I do know that," he said. "I'm sorry you had the impression that I didn't."

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. What, now he was playing Mr. Sensitive? "We're here. That's the store."

She came in followed closely by Derek and immediately found herself in the spotlight. Everyone, literally everyone, stopped doing whatever they were doing to see what exactly why she was in the company of the stranger.

"Good afternoon everyone," she smiled slightly and grabbed the basket, hoping they would desist the staring.

"Can you unglue, please?" she hissed through of her mouth as he continued to follow her.

"Sorry," he breathed out. In fact, he was completely oblivious to the staring. He was currently occupied with the store's fascinating inventory. They had virtually everything there, he even spotted a little stash of iPods on one of the shelves. "I'm just… shocked I think."

"I told you we have needs just like every community," she couldn't help smirking at his awe. She quickly sobered though, as she noticed frowns appearing on her fellow customers' faces.

Derek kept tugging along after her, dropping various products into the basket.

"That's all you're getting?" he asked curiously peeking into her shopping noticing a patch of grapes a cheesecake. "You've got nothing left in the fridge."

"I don't cook," she shrugged.

"You don't cook? What do you eat? Air and energy of the sun?"

"I eat at Cristina's," she explained raking out her purse. "Under The Alien."

"Hmm."

"Hmm?"

"Interesting."

"Yeah, fascinating. Okay, I'm done," she said packing her items into a paper bag. "See you… never."

"Funny. But you have to stay until I pay."

Sure enough, when Derek handed his credit card to the cashier he heard, "No cards."

"Isn't that the terminal?" Derek pointed out. "And it's written right here: American Express, Visa, MasterCard. It's a platinum MasterCard."

"The terminal's broken," the teen behind the counter answered challengingly.

Derek turned to Meredith with an expectant look.

"Eddie, please, try again," she asked him with a sigh. "A favor for me?"

Albeit reluctantly, the boy took the card.

"What a surprise, it worked," Derek commented sarcastically when the transaction was accepted.

Eddie's eyes turned into narrow slits as he gritted out, "Thank you for choosing our store."

"Oh, I sure will be back," smiled Derek taking his bags. "Thanks for helping me out," he said to Meredith when they were back outside.

"Mhm."

"You know, It would be more polite to say you're welcome."

"I am an impolite person then. I did what you wanted so why don't you just walk your way now and I'll walk mine. I want to have an evening free of babysitting you."

"I can thank you with a dinner," he offered eagerly. "I really can cook."

Meredith widened her eyes at him with horror. "Sure, I just want everyone to see you going back with me to my apartment. Please, leave me alone."

"You don't know what you're losing," he laughed. He really would like to have dinner with her. Not only in hope of wooing her. He realized he enjoyed her company, when he wasn't the victim of her wrath that is. He had a chance to observe her all day when she threw herself into work, when she interacted with other people and he liked what he saw. Meredith Grey was a fascinating person. "So, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ugh," she mumbled and hurried away. A dinner together? Not a chance in the world.

**AN Next chapter: Derek and Meredith bond over a case…**

**Please don't forget to say what you think,**

**Em :)**

**BTW, ****Happy Grey's Day!**


	7. Chapter 7: Song Of The Desert

**AN Thank you for comments, they're what keeps me writing and updating so please keep them coming!**

**As I mentioned last time, MerDer bond over a case.**

**Warning: this update features April Kepner in a cameo role. Don't worry if you're not a fan of hers though… I'm pretty sure you won't mind her in this. **

**Enjoy!**

It wasn't that bad. Meredith had a hard time admitting it to herself but the second day of Derek's presence at the practice didn't seem that bad. He didn't interfere with her patients, he didn't make offensive comments, he was just his overly charming self. She even caught herself cracking a smile when he retold an amusing story from the hospital he worked at. She wouldn't risk taking the tag of the asshole yet of course, but she felt much less annoyed.

She was just finishing with her patient, when Izzie knocked to her office.

"Mer, will you be done soon? Wayne needs you, they found a dead girl on the rocks. Probably an accident, they still need a doctor though. Dr. Shepherd is free but he's all green. I don't think we should send him even if he clearly wants to."

"Good thinking, Iz. It will just take five more minutes I hope. I'll be right back with Wayne."

"I'll be perfectly fine, really." She heard Derek assurance when she joined him, Izzie and Rigsby at the reception desk.

"You don't know what you're talking about," said Meredith. "I'll go. Where exactly did you find her?"

"A little south from the highway."

"Someone we know?"

"Fortunately, no. Clearly a tourist. Are you coming with me?"

"I'll take my car," she answered.

"That's fine," nodded Wayne. "We're about 15 miles away from the town. Then you change the means of transport."

"Be right there."

"I'm going too," insisted Derek.

"Why can't you ever listen to me?" she sighed.

"Why can't you?" he reiterated. "I hate being of no use. This was supposed to be my call. I want to go and see at the very least."

"Okay, fine. Just don't tell me later that I didn't warn you. Have you ever ridden a horse?"

"I have." He had. The last time when he was in Rachel in fact. It was more than two decades ago but it was like riding a bike, right?

"At least that. Come on."

"You don't look so confident anymore," Meredith commented on his focused expression and rigid movements as he sat on top of a brown horse. They were following one of the Sheriffs to the place when the poor girl's body was found. It was virtually inaccessible for vehicles.

"It's… it's been a while," he admitted. "And now I remember my ass hurting like hell."

Meredith let out a little laugh and lapsed into silence.

"So," he started conversationally. "Do you often have to do this kind of thing?"

"Not really."

"Has it ever been not an accident?"

"Uh, once."

"A murder?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"Really."

"The weather's nice."

"Sure."

"Are you capable of producing a sentence consisting of more than one word?" he sighed defeatedly.

"What, you wanna talk now?" she arched one of her eyebrows.

"Yeah, that was kind of my point."

"Oh, well, sorry, I don't think we could strike an interesting conversation so I just didn't make an effort."

"We can't even talk?" he frowned. "Why can't we talk?"

"I think… that we're just two different people who have little in common. Can't possibly imagine what we would talk about. Plus, you irk me."

"Okay, let's forget about the irking thing. I think we have a lot in common," he argued looking at her. "We're both doctors, we're not from here, we're stubborn and we don't like losing. About the likes and dislikes, that I can't tell much since people actually talk to get to know each other."

"You might be overlooking the fact that I don't want to know you."

"Nah, that's not possible," he grinned. "Where are you from?"

"Far far away," she cut short.

"So you must know Shrek personally," he quipped.

She looked at him as though he had just confirmed her suspicions that he was insane.

"Sorry, my nephews have made me watch it at least five times. Well, I'm from-"

"Yeah, I know. We all know, you're from New York."

"Yeah, but I also wanted to add that my Dad was born here, in Rachel."

"Oh?" She knew that Shepherd family was once very large.

"He was born and grew up here," Derek went on. "Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that but he spent all his childhood here. He moved to New York when he was 19."

"For work?" asked Meredith curiously.

"No, actually. For love," he said with a smile. "He fell in love with my Mom and dropped everything to be with her."

"That's romantic," Meredith said softly. She squinted her eyes as the desert was becoming bright red with the rays of the sun that going down slowly. The sky close to the horizon was almost pale, in stark contrast to deep blue of the high heavens.

"It is."

"Doesn't he… I know it's not really my business, but doesn't he miss Rachel?" she asked him. "It's a place that worms into your heart when you live here a bit."

"He did, as far as I can remember. He died when I was ten," he clarified seeing Meredith's puzzled expression.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said delicately.

"That's okay now. Just don't start to treat me better because you know I've been a half orphan most of my life," he joked.

"I'll remember not to," she giggled.

"Don't you miss… wherever you're from?" he asked as the terrain became more steep. They were finally able to see a little group of people awaiting them.

"No," came a very decisive answer. Something in her voice, a hint of bitterness perhaps, told him not to pursue.

They dismounted their horses and went up a narrow path to the scene of the tragedy. Suddenly, a terrible nauseating smell made them recoil.

"Sweet Jesus, what is that?" Derek coughed hiding his face into the crook of his elbow.

Meredith pulled two masks and two pairs of plastic gloves from her shoulder bag and passed one set to Derek. "Here, wear this."

"Thanks."

"Listen, maybe you should stay here," she offered good-naturedly. "Trust me, it won't be pretty."

"No, I… I'll be fine," he assured her adjusting his protective mask.

"Okay," she just said. It was pointless and inappropriate to argue at this stage. "Do you know who she is? Are there any witnesses of what happened?" she asked their guide.

"She had the whole set of documents on her. April Kepner, 27, from Boston. She was on a trip with friends, they're still in a hotel in Vegas. She split from the party without their knowledge two days ago. Everyone thought she was in her room feeling unwell."

"It sounds weird," frowned Meredith. "What was she doing all the way down here alone?"

"Well," the sheriff looked apologetic. "Seems she was not completely right in the head. Thought she was part alien part human. It looks like she didn't take her meds the fatal day. And… here we are…"

They finally reached their destination to see a body of a young woman lying in a strange position in a slight indentation of the rock.

"Oh, God," Derek gasped doubling over and turning away from the horrible sight. He started choking as the bile rose up his throat. "Oh, God… Oh, God…"

"I know," Meredith said gently placing a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. She couldn't blame him for his violent reaction. She didn't do any better in her first time. It was nothing like practicing on cadavers in med school. "Take a step back, Derek."

He shook his head taking a few deep breaths in order to calm down his queasy stomach. "I'll be fine…"

"Derek, please. I'm saying this for your own sake. Take a few steps back, take off your mask and breathe in fresh air. Come back when you feel better. It really won't make anything easier if you start throwing up here. I need to take care of her okay? So they can move her from here."

"Okay…" he breathed out. "Sorry."

"You've got nothing to be sorry about," she said tracing reassuring circles over his shoulder blade. "It's a traumatizing view. Go now."

When he was back he still looked deadly pale but he seemed definitely more collected. Meredith was just finishing the examination when she looked up at him, "You all right?"

He nodded and knelt to look closer at the body of the girl. He was a doctor after all.

"So what can you tell, Dr. Grey?" asked the sheriff.

"The cause of her death was a severe trauma to the head. No signs of struggle or physical abuse. She must have fallen from that shelf above, probably slipped. The death was instantaneous, her parietal lobe is practically shattered to pieces. There's also a broken leg, three cracked ribs from what I was able to establish. Also signs of minimal internal bleeding."

"May her soul rest in peace," nodded the sheriff. "At least, she didn't suffer."

"That's really all I can do for her," sighed Meredith getting to her feet.

"Thank you, doc. One of our man will escort you back."

"Oh, one thing," she said looking at Derek with concern. "Do you have a spare jacket? He's all shivering."

"Sure." A minute later he handed her a brown leather jacket with the badge of the county sheriff office.

"Put it on."

"I am fine-"

"Sure you are. You're also cold. Don't be a baby. The sun has just set, it's a night in the desert."

He accepted the jacket with a nod of his head and they started to descend. The way home was silent but for occasional remarks.

Meredith stopped the engine of her car as they reached William's house. Derek looked like crap since he saw April Kepner's body and she didn't have the heart to let him march home from the practice alone.

"I'm sorry I've been so inarticulate," he confessed apologetically. "I don't know what came over me."

"I know," she nodded. "A normal human reaction. If that makes you feel better, I actually threw up when I was first called to a scene. It's the worst when they find them in the desert. The heat and the animals… well, you know."

"Thanks for being so understanding. Felt good to see your softer side."

"Don't get too used to it," she replied crisply.

"Why not? Being nice is… nice."

"I was being nice because you weren't acting like an asshole. Since I don't believe you're able to go long without acting like an asshole, I fully expect you to piss me off again soon enough."

"Have a little faith in me," he quipped.

"How lame was that?" she chuckled turning to him. "I see you've made a first friend here."

"What?" His eyes peered at her carefully but he registered with a slight disappointment that she was looking past him. He certainly thought that today they were closest since they met.

"That's Bert," he said following her gaze.

"Bert? You named your dog Bert?" she laughed freely.

"It's not my dog… besides, he chose it himself," he defended himself.

"Riiight," she giggled.

She was laughing at him but he found himself not caring this time.

"You have a beautiful laugh," he said quietly. "Maybe because you don't show it off too often."

"What?" she asked, the laughter dying on her lips, but the traces of the smile still on her face.

"Just what you heard. Your laugh is beautiful, just like the rest of you."

She wasn't exactly sure how to react to it. She didn't want this kind of compliments but she wasn't angry either.

An energetic knocking on the window made them both jump. Meredith whirled her head to see Miranda standing outside with an unreadable expression. "You mind moving this tail wagon? You're blocking me in."

True enough, Meredith's car was parked practically in the middle of the road making it impossible for Bailey to drive through.

"I'm… I'm going, Miranda. Sorry," she said quickly. "Good night, Derek. I'll guess I see you tomorrow?"

"You will," he smiled and got out. Miranda Bailey was still watching him attentively, even after Meredith drove away. Was it a warning for him to stay away from Meredith? Nothing could make him do that. He was way too intrigued. Every day he discovered a new layer to Dr. Grey. His mind was set on shedding them all. Literally and figuratively.

**AN Yay or nay? Please comment.**

**Next chapter is my favourite, I absolutely loved writing it.**

**Have a great weekend,**

**Em**


	8. Chapter 8: Starcrossed

**AN Yep, it is yet another update for you ;) I enjoyed writing it immensely, it is mainly comic relief. **

**To Emma, since I couldn't respond to your comment via PM. I am aware April is now a regular on the show, it doesn't mean I have to like it. This is fanfiction, a very AU fanfiction, which basically means I turn the Grey's universe upside down. I give the characters new roles, I twist their background. I'm sorry that you don't enjoy fanfiction but it can't be a show repeat. Maybe you should try out more canon stories.**

**Hope you all enjoy the update!**

This was not happening to him… It was a bad dream surely. He would open up his eyes or pinch himself in the arm and the nightmare would be over.

No, it wouldn't, he sighed scratching his head. He thought his bad luck finished the previous day the moment when he connected with Meredith. Nope, it seemed as if his problems were just beginning. And all because of his kind heart.

He heard Meredith's footsteps as she was going downstairs from her loft and he didn't know if he was more relieved or horrified. Thank God Izzie wasn't here yet.

"Oh, you're here early," she greeted him from over her cup of coffee. That was progress, there wasn't even a trace of the usual irritation about her.

"Hey," he breathed out. "Listen, I was wondering about… the pharmacy. How do you do it here?"

"We are the pharmacy," she answered sitting behind the counter. "We have a constant supply of medicines."

"Oh, okay, I need something…" he trailed off grimly.

"For yourself? What's wrong?"

"I… Bert, my dog, has… a little itching problem," he finished euphemistically, unable to utter the exact issue.

Meredith didn't have such scruples. "Oh. Lice? Fleas?"

Rip off the band aid, Derek. Rip off the band aid. "Lice."

"We have a shampoo. You know if you're planning on keeping him you should bring him over for a check-up, vaccinations and all that stuff," she said standing up and beckoning him to follow her.

Yeah, now he realized that he should have.

"There you go."

"It's… it's for animals," he muttered quickly scanning the label.

"Of course it's for animals. Isn't Bert a dog?" she laughed. "Why would you even need one that is not for animals…" she trailed off, a thought dawning on her. Suddenly she jumped away from him, her eyes involuntarily shooting towards his hair.

"I'm sure you're fine," she smirked. "But… maybe you should skip practice hours today…"

"I… I was going to," he sighed, knowing this was probably the most humiliating moment of his life. More than Meredith leaving him at the gas station. More than a patient's bowel erupting at him during surgery. Did he mention he hated this place?

"This is for people," she passed him another bottle stretching her arm out as far as she could and backing it quickly.

"You have to leave it on your hair and then rinse profusely," she bit on her lip. "Or you can always cut your hair."

"I'm not going to cut my hair," he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Don't need to be so defensive. It's not like I gave you the lice," she shrugged, her face scrunching up convulsively.

His lips went into a thin flat line. "I think I'm gonna go now."

"You do that," she nodded resolutely. "And... good luck!"

He shot her a glare and left the practice shutting the door loudly behind him while Meredith broke into soft giggles.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

A deep calming breath. Derek stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, the bottle of shampoo in his hand, only a towel around his middle. He was feeling worse than before his first solo brain surgery. No joke, it was his hair on the line, his hair that was one of the biggest advantages of his physique. Not that he would be no one without it, but he certainly would be less himself. Not to mention that he would look ridiculous. The hair lessened the effect of his crooked nose.

He was just about to get into the bath and subject himself to the treatment when he caught a glimpse of Bert strolling along the corridor.

"Hey!" he shouted hurrying after him. "You are supposed to stay outside! How did you get in?"

He half dragged the dog downstairs muttering with annoyance, "You are not setting your paw into this house again, get it? And if you cost me one hair of my head, I will sell you to a Chinese restaurant!"

Bert growled at his empty threat and resisted being pushed out from the house with all his might. His paws scraped the deck of the porch as he tried to free himself from Derek's grip and sneak back in.

"Oh, no you're not!" huffed Derek. "Hey, stop!" he yelped shrilly as Bert started to pull at his towel, the only thing that kept him covered.

"Bert! Stop that now!" he gasped, struggling with the dog. "Sit, I said sit! I've been feeding you, you ingrate!"

The spaniel growled again through his teeth and tugged violently at the material, making it slip though Derek's fingers.

"No! No!" he gasped, breathing heavily and trying to gab the towel back but Bert ran away already carrying off his victory. "Bad dog!"

He had no intention of chasing the animal naked, it was just a towel anyway. Besides, he had more pressing matter on his head, literally. And at least, Bert was out of the house. He quickly turned back towards the door but a new jolt of panic shot through him. He pressed the handle but the door didn't open. It was locked. It must have automatically locked after he ran outside after Bert.

He gulped heavily, his pulse quickening in fear. And he thought he was in deep shit where he discovered he had parasites in his hair this morning. At the moment, he was naked and shut out of the house where he left his phone. He didn't know anyone in the vicinity and no one would help him anyway. And he still had parasites in his hair. Life just couldn't get any perfect. He bit himself in the tongue. He shouldn't be complaining. He had complained earlier and now he was paying for it.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

It was a slow day for Meredith. She had only one patient. It happened sometimes. They were days when she was on her feet non-stop and then dry spells when she was boring her brains out. There was even no Derek Shepherd around to irritate the crap out of her. A lazy grin spread on her face. Well, Derek Shepherd was probably busy with something else right now. That man just had a knack for trouble.

Her cell phone rang breaking the silence of her office.

"What's up, Miranda?"

"I think you should come here. There's a kind of situation."

"A kind of a situation?" repeated Meredith with a concerned frown. "Is it Tuck?"

"Nah. How to say it, it involves the wellbeing of the neighborhood."

Meredith sighed in understanding. "Let me guess, the situation involves the idiot from the house across the road from you, doesn't it?"

"I guess the word idiot sums it up just fine," said dryly Miranda.

"What did he do again? And why am I held responsible for his misdeeds?"

"Well, it's your fault he's here," Miranda said with blatant honesty.

"What? There's no one else that wants him gone as much as I do," she argued hotly. "And it's not my fault William chose him for his legacy!"

"True, but if it wasn't for you, the Shepherd guy would have been long gone."

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Oh, please," snorted Miranda. "Why do you think he's still here. For tourism? I don't think so. Just come over."

Before Meredith could respond in any way, she had disconnected.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"So, I'm here. Where's the fire?" Meredith parked her jeep in front of Bailey's house and approached her friend who was waiting for her on the porch. "What did he do?"

"He locked himself out, I believe."

"What?" she gasped. "He locked himself out and I had to drive all the way down here to open the door for his majesty? And you're helping him? You should have told him to come to me for the key, not the other way round," she hissed.

"Well, that would be a problem," remarked lightly Miranda. "And I want that problem solved fast, like really fast."

"Why would that be a problem?" Meredith asked suspiciously, she knew well enough the disgruntled look Miranda was sporting had to be there for a reason.

"Go and see for yourself. Tell me when it's safe to go out," the short woman shrugged and disappeared into the house, all the blinds shut down.

Taking a long calming breath, Meredith quickly crossed the road and approached William's house. What did the idiot do now? He was just supposed to wash his hair. He was nowhere in sight but his dog was sitting on the paved way to the house, biting on a towel. Meredith frowned and stopped to look around for Derek.

"Shepherd?" she shouted. Silence. She went around the house. "Shepherd, I don't have time for this! I have the key, I can let you in the house!"

Okay, now he must have heard her. She was hollering. "Fine, asshole! I'm going back. And I'm not coming again for nothing!"

"Wait, wait!" came a muffled call. She turned around to notice him slowly peek out from a clamp of bushes.

What the fuck? "Are you playing hide and seek or what?" she asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Er, no… I've… I've had a little accident," he cleared his throat. Even from a certain distance, she could clearly see a wild blush appear on his face.

"Yeah, you're one big accident waiting to happen," she quipped sourly. "Get out from that bush, I'm gonna let you in."

"I… uhm… I…" he stammered.

"What?" she snapped.

He decided to cautiously come out of a bit more. "Can you just… can you unlock the door and leave it open for me? Please?"

She stared at him in disbelief. He was shirtless. He was almost begging. Derek Shepherd was begging her. She took a second look at him and the abandoned towel on the pavement suddenly made sense.

"You're naked, aren't you?" Meredith's voice was not at all harsh now. The corners of her lips started to twitch dangerously.

"This is not funny," he gritted through his teeth, his jaws clenching.

That was all it took to make Meredith double in laughter. "Oh, my God!" Her whole form shook violently as she was having fun at his expense. "You're unbelievable! And no, it's not a compliment!"

"I told you it was an accident!" he hissed. "I was trying to stop Bert… Okay, now, you've had your fun. Are you done?"

"No," she shook her head wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Not even close!"

"You know, fine," he said, incredibly annoyed. "I don't care, I have nothing to be ashamed of. I'm coming out and you can open the door for me."

"No!" she squealed turning away from him. "Stay, stay! I'm gonna bring you something to… eh, cover yourself."

She was back in a flash. "It's the only thing I could find," she said throwing him another towel over the bushes.

"Thanks," he muttered wrapping the material around himself. "Everything else is in washing."

He finally walked from the trees with a deeply disgruntled expression, his pride in shreds.

She giggled again at his misfortunes. "You're lucky no one called the sheriff-"

"Meredith," he cut her across rather sharply. "This idiot here," he said pointing at himself, "he is really humiliated. I assure you he feels like a complete moron already."

"Sorry," she cleared her throat and took a closer look at him, feeling something similar to sympathy. It really wasn't a good day for him. First the hair, then this, and everything in front of her, practically his nemesis. "Have you… have you used the shampoo yet?"

"No," he replied sourly. "The damn dog made me chase him outside and… you know the rest."

"Okay," she hesitated for a fleeting moment but finally decided to throw the caution to the wind. "I'll help you out. Just wear something than can't slip down any moment."

"What?" he gaped at her as she followed him into the house.

"Go and get dressed, I'll be upstairs."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Meredith?" he eyed her suspiciously when he joined her in the bathroom.

"That's all you've got to wear?" she scoffed at him. Just a pair of boxers was hanging low on his hips. And that pair of boxers unfortunately didn't prevent her from getting an eyeful of his broad chest, tight abs, the biceps… and the muscular thighs. And, damn, judging by the front of his boxers, he wasn't lying when he told her he didn't have anything to be ashamed of.

"I said everything's in washing," he rolled his eyes. "What, haven't you ever see a naked guy?"

"Shut up, I'm doing you a favor, here," she admonished feeling a little hot in the face. She pointed at the stool sitting close to the sink and ordered, "Sit down."

With a highly puzzled face, he did as he was told. He wasn't going to stop her if she willingly subjected herself to his presence.

"Lean your head back," she said softly and guided his head with her hands on his neck. An involuntary shiver ran down his spine. Her delicate palms were touching his very skin, so close to his chest. He expected to feel the cold edge of the sink but she had spread a towel for his comfort.

"Close your eyes." Her voice was so smooth, so delicate right now. The last thing he gazed at before closing his lids were her emerald eyes. Beautiful, calm and attentive. "Just don't fall asleep. I don't think I would manage to catch you from falling to the floor and splitting your skull open."

"Mhm," he breathed out, feeling more and more relaxed. And excited. He could barely believe Meredith offered to do this for him. She presumably hated him.

"It's just water now," she said quietly and he felt warm water soak his hair down to his scalp and the side of his neck.

"The shampoo." She applied the silky liquid and massaged it into his black locks and down to the skin of his head. Derek had to stifle the moan of appreciation at her handwork. Her touch felt so good. It would be almost erotic if it wasn't for the unpleasant circumstances. He knew what he would be dreaming about that night.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly. Her voice became so intimate and throaty when she was in a good mood.

"Oh, yea- I mean, yes," he cleared his throat.

She shampooed his scalp once more and then rinsed it abundantly. She turned the tap off but waited before giving him the towel. She combed his wet hair with his fingers. It was so thick and soft. No wonder he wasn't keen on shaving it down. His eyes were still closed, he seemed to be perfectly calm. Before she could realize what she was doing, her fingertips curiously traced a little scar on his forehead.

"That's why I don't ride motorbikes anymore," he said gently knowing she was hesitant with posing any questions.

"Oh," she breathed out and quickly took her hands away which made Derek finally open his eyes.

"Thank you," he smiled at her gratefully as she handed him a clean towel.

"You're welcome. You should repeat that just for precaution. You sure your… other hair's safe?" she smirked mischievously. "Because I won't go down there."

"Yes, I'm sure," he chuckled shaking his head.

Never say never. Meredith was a living proof of that.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

After he took a proper long shower and trotted downstairs, he noticed a stack of clothing on the table in the hall. Two pairs of t-shirts and jeans. It wasn't the clothing he usually wore but Meredith must have brought it from town and he was exponentially grateful for that. A laughter reached his ears from outside. He peered through the window to see her trying to keep Bert in a metal basin as she sprayed him with the water from the hose.

He quickly put on the new clothes and hurried out to help her. Maybe Bert knew what he was doing after all.

**AN Awaiting your comments ;)**

**Em xx**


	9. Chapter 9: Shooting Star

**A/N I'm terribly sorry I left you hanging again! It's been a busy time with the beginning of the new semester and all.**

**I know you all want to know what had happened to Meredith and you will. But we'll be discovering Meredith with Derek and kind of through his eyes. **

**Hope you enjoy! If you do, please leave me word! :)**

Derek wondered where Meredith could be at the moment. She was not at the practice, he had just checked in there. He didn't want to call her, he ought to be as little overbearing as he could. It wouldn't be wise to make her feel cornered. But he wasn't on friendly terms with anyone else in town and he had to talk to someone else than Bert or he'd go mad.

At least he suspected that he was on friendly terms with Meredith. The previous day would surely suggest that. She helped him out with his little problem, stayed to take care of his dog which allowed Derek to see her in a way that he hadn't before. She seemed carefree, unreserved, funny and full of life. Not to mention completely wet with her T-shirt clinging snuggly to her chest… There was laughter and joking around. He regretted she didn't decide to stay for dinner. As soon as the question rolled off his tongue, she seemed to sober up. She excused herself hastily that she probably should be back at the practice in case someone looked for her.

Today was Sunday, which meant no fixed working hours. Which also meant he needed to work twice as hard to be able to accompany her. It was almost 1 p.m. and the whole town seemed oddly deserted but for a couple of tourists strolling down the main road. After some fifteen minutes of walking he finally noticed people coming in little groups or couples from a narrow street between buildings. Meredith was there too; he fished her out effortlessly. Her blond hair that turned even lighter due to the strong southern sun, a blue sundress that billowed slightly in the wind, and a bunch of flowers in the crook of her arm. Wasn't she beautiful... The way she crinkled her eyes from the sun when she was engrossed in a conversation with an elderly couple. He watched her throw her head back laughing at something her interlocutors said.

Derek briefly hesitated whether he should come forward. He was sure it would not be appreciated by the people around. What the hell, he shrugged. He was not going to let others dictate his life. If he wanted to be close to Meredith, wild horses wouldn't stop him.

Ignoring the looks he was getting as he mingled though the thinning crowd, he halted beside her. "Meredith."

Looking into her eyes, he noticed she wasn't sure how to act around him anymore in the company of other people. "Dr. Shepherd?"

"Uh, Dr. Grey," he nodded, slightly disappointed with the formal address. The woman and the man kept giving him blatant looks telling he was unwanted and interrupting the conversation. "I… I'd like to discuss some issues concerning the practice?"

"Now?" she asked arching up her eyebrow.

"Yeah, yeah," he insisted.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. and Mr. Cole. Excuse me," she sighed as though Derek's appearance couldn't be more annoying to her.

"Sorry for that," she said quietly as they resumed walking. "Do you really want to discuss anything to do with the practice?"

"Nope," he chuckled. "Just wanted to lose them."

"Of course," she rolled her eyes. "I guess it's totally impossible for you to give me anything solid until your last minute here, right?"

"Oh, come one, chill," he grinned. "It's not like you have any reasons to worry."

"I don't?" she asked her eyebrows riding high. Sometimes she didn't know what to make of Derek Shepherd. They seemed to establish a kind of truce but one couldn't be too careful. If she could be certain of anything, it was that the man walking beside her was unpredictable. "So why are you here?"

"I felt lonely."

"You could always go back to New York," she quipped.

"Have I already told you I love your sense of humor?"

"Ugh, could you not flirt with me before everyone's curious eyes?" she sighed with annoyance.

"Would you prefer me to flirt with you when we're alone? Can do."

"I wish you didn't at all."

"We'll see," he laughed. "So, where have you been just now? And everyone else apparently?"

"Church," came the surprising answer.

"Church? Really? I vaguely remember coming here with my family when I was a kid…"

"I am… not much of a believer, I never was," she replied as though needing to explain herself. "I was brought up in a cult of reason. I never intended to start going to church when I arrived here. I just… came once. Everyone in Rachel does so I was curious. And to my surprise, I liked it. It's so… good natured, serene. It gives a spirit of the community. I'm still not exactly a religious person but…" she trailed off, suddenly self-conscious.

"But what?" he encouraged her.

"I… believe there is some kind of providence. It led me here," she smiled and lowered her eyes.

He listened enraptured to every word of hers. It was the most she revealed about herself since… since he met her. He looked ahead with a content smile and realized he didn't exactly recognized the whereabouts. Meredith was steering their walk and he just followed.

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know where you are going, I only know where I'm going," she quipped with a smile.

"Okay, I'm going where you are. So?"

"The cemetery."

"I'm sorry, the cemetery?" he frowned quizzically. "Didn't know you had family here."

"I did," she answered with simplicity. "William."

"My uncle?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah, your uncle."

"Oh, I…" he trailed off with a feeling of shame waking in the pit of his stomach.

"What?"

"I haven't even gone there once," he confessed. "That's…"

"You weren't close with him," she shrugged. "You didn't even see him for what, more than two decades?"

"Still, he left me all he had," Derek sighed. "It's not only my obligation but common precept of decency."

"You can visit him now. You're tugging along anyway."

"I… don't have anything… flowers or a candle," he said looking around as though he would find a florist's around the corner.

"That's pointless," she chuckled. "You won't get flowers now anywhere. Unless you steal."

"I… definitely wasn't going to," he shook his head with sarcasm. "I suspect my neighbor is not the only person in Rachel in possession of a shotgun."

"I'm glad to hear that your cluelessness has its limits."

"You take some kind of vicious pleasure in making fun of me."

"What can I say?" she threw her head back. "I do. Although I'm afraid it will be very boring from now on. Can't possibly think of how you could top yesterday."

"I… no comment."

"It was top class entertainment," she went on with an exaggerated admiration.

"Glad you enjoyed," he muttered looking away.

"It will be forever imprinted in my mind."

"Really?" he asked, catching the occasion to turn the tables. "I will always be in your mind? Naked under your skilful hands?"

"What is it with you guys and the need to dirty everything up?" she gasped.

"I don't know, maybe it's just the testosterone," he quipped.

"Yeah, you might need to get that checked too," she rolled her eyes.

"If you'd be so helpful-"

"Don't you finish that," she scowled at him, sharply poking his chest with her finger and hastening away. With a screech she pushed open a low wrought-iron gate that was fitted into the stone fence, crumbling at one side, and stepped onto a pebbled path. "Now, I would be grateful if you could respect this place."

"I know I'm a total asshole in your eyes," he said with a much more quiet voice even though the graveyard seemed deserted, "but I think of myself as of a decent guy."

"No doubt most assholes usually do," she definitively cut the topic.

They walked in silence, passing by rows of tombstones trailing haphazardly around. Some seemed very old, already disintegrating, though still carrying the traces of former glory. On some of them Derek could decipher dates from the nineteenth century. The trees along the path certainly looked centenary, branchy and garbled in the most twisted ways.

"Shepherd," Derek pointed enthusiastically at one of the stones halting to read the inscriptions.

"There are a lot of your antecedents resting here," she nodded, strolling up to him. "This grave's one of the oldest. Not only for your family but the whole town."

He moved over to a joined gravestone and read aloud, "Eloise Shepherd, 1848-1944 and Lucas Shepherd, 1847-1864…"

"Lucas died on the battlefield shortly after Nevada joined the Civil War. His body isn't actually here, it was never found in the chaos of the battle. However, Eloise never lost hope he was miraculously saved and waited for his return until her dying breath."

"She lived a long lonely life. Must have been terribly miserable…" he sighed and took a few steps forward, unaware of the keener look his companion graced him with.

"I'd never take you for a romantic…" she trailed off.

"I'm full of surprises," he smiled at her briefly and his eyes fell on the next tombstone. "Lillian Shepherd, just a five-year-old…"

"She's known as the angel of Rachel in the history of the town," explained Meredith. "She died in a fall on the rocks, much like that poor girl last week. But she eventually saved the budding town as they discovered a streak of silver in the place of her tragic accident."

"Okay, now I'm utterly ashamed that you know my family history better than me and… obviously surprised… Where did you hear this?"

"William," she shrugged simply. "I've heard a lot of fascinating stories over the last three years. He was an expert both in the history of the Shepherds and history in general. He was actually working on the family chronicles," she smiled as she remembered her mentor. "He was always complaining that they would remain unfinished as he was the last Shepherd in Rachel and had no news about his relatives living elsewhere."

"I don't want to pry… but how close were you two?" he asked with sudden curiosity.

"He was…" she hesitated slightly, "a lot like a father to me."

"I'm so sorry." He touched her forearm rubbing her skin soothingly. "I had no idea… I guess, I understand why you took me for such an obnoxious asshole when it comes to the practice and the house. You must still be grieving."

She stared at him at the unexpected contact, swallowed nervously and gently walked around him trying not appear as if she was too eager to brush his hand from hers. "It was very hard at the beginning," she admitted walking ahead, Derek at her heels. "Especially at the practice. But I've slowly go used to… to the fact that he's gone. Patients keep my mind busy."

"I'm actually surprised he didn't leave you everything," remarked Derek.

"Well, the whole town was a bit surprised either," she said euphemistically.

"What are you not telling me?" he asked suspiciously.

"There was actually a lot of outrage and disbelief. A huge public debate in Rachel," she smiled softly. "Some people think the will was forged up to this day."

"Great," sighed Derek. "Now I'm a legacy hunter on top of everything."

She let out a little laugh. "Don't worry, it's not a general opinion. He made the will light years before."

"You don't resent me that he didn't change it?"

"No, because I told him not to when he was thinking about it," she answered honestly.

"You told him… what?" he spluttered. "It… just…"

"Doesn't make sense?" she quipped. "I'm not a legacy hunter either and… I know what he was hoping for leaving everything to one male from the family. I didn't want to deprive him of that hope. And I knew I had the financial means to cover the purchase of the practice."

"So why did he leave everything to me?" Derek inquired, his brain befuddled.

"William was very proud of the family he came from. And it was a huge disappointment for him that the Shepherds practically all died out or abandoned Rachel, which was their home since they had emigrated from Ireland. And the thought that there would be no Shepherds in town after his death was unbearable. He thought the practice and the house would entice his heir to stay for good."

"And you took the risk thinking it wouldn't?"

"I did," she nodded. "It was a safe bet. What, do you want to stay?"

"No, but-"

"There you go then," she shrugged. "This is a charming place. Hundreds of people come to see the alien site. But only few do stay."

"You did…" he started.

"I did," she answered shortly coming to a halt. "It's his grave."

Derek sighed audibly, his eyes tracing the letters on the tombstone while Meredith deposited the flowers and rearranged the numerous candles.

"I suppose you were the one to cover the cost of the funeral?"

"I wanted to," she replied. "But he was a respected person. A lot of people wanted to contribute."

"You know, I think my image of him was completely different from what he was in reality."

"He was, how you put it, a decent man."

"Oh," he nodded casting his eyes down.

She bit her lip, feeling the uneasy wave of guilt. She didn't owe him anything, he was anything but nuisance to her since his arrival and yet… one look at that puppy face he mastered was enough to make her want to pat his head affectionately. Just like yesterday when some mysterious force possessed her to wash his hair. He probably thought it was a come-hither sign… She should clear the things between them.

"Look," she started, tucking the blond strands of her hair nervously behind her ears. "I'm not saying you're not decent… Eh, I just don't know…" she trailed off when he looked back at her. His eyes had that mesmerizing quality, she noticed it the day before. It was dangerous, especially in manwhores. She didn't know if Derek was one but she didn't wish to check in person.

"That's a shame," he complained with a mischievous smile on his face. "I want you to know me."

What should she ever say to that? That she didn't want to? That she didn't need a potentially dangerous man in her life? That she didn't need a man in her life at all?

His lips widened in a more pronounced smile. Her breath hitched in her chest, how did these lips get so close to her? They looked so soft, playful… the kind that would surely left you begging for more after a kiss…

She jumped away clearing her throat. What the hell was she thinking? Scratch that, she wasn't thinking at all.

"I… I'd like to stay here for a while," she muttered avoiding his eyes altogether. "But… do you want some time for yourself? I can come later-"

"No, that's fine," he assured her quickly, fighting his disappointment. "I can wait for you at the gate though…"

"No, thanks," she quickly shook her head, not glancing at him even once. "It's going to take some time. Go ahead. I guess we'll see each other tomorrow if you're still planning on coming to the practice."

"I am, see you tomorrow, Meredith," he nodded in defeat. He didn't want to part with her for the rest of the day. Certainly not after what almost happened… It was probably a grievous mistake on his part to even try to initiate anything. But she looked so lovely. Fresh. Real. And simply beautiful. Her eyes were so gentle for once, devoid of that angry spark. Her hair were being tangled by the wind. Light and shadow played on her features due to the sun insinuating itself through the leaves. He just couldn't help trying to taste the rosy lips that taunted him since the memorable first night.

But she pulled away, of course she did. She thought he was a big asshole who only tried to work his way into her pants to entertain himself during the gruesome stay. And he couldn't blame anyone but himself for that state of things. He didn't give her many reasons to think highly of him. He couldn't deny it, he was eager to have sex with her since he laid his eyes on her. He would still probably jump at the chance to do so. But somehow, it didn't feel like it was all he wanted from her. He wanted more… What exactly he didn't know himself. Were there any limits on wanting more from her due to the fact that he was leaving next week? He didn't want to think about it yet.

"Meredith?"

She lifted her head to look at him, his voice surprising her. "I know you're not a fan of mine… Quite understandably actually. But I want you to know me, I do. And I want to know you. Think about it." He gave her the last smile and departed; he couldn't press her too much or she'd bolt like a deer in headlights.

Meredith stared at the motionless gravestone of William Shepherd with an accusatory expression.

"See what you've done?" she reproached him. "You brought him to Rachel! Couldn't you live one hundred and ten? Now I have to put up with him and…"

Her head was an inexplicable mess. Derek Shepherd irked her, got on her nerves… but made her smile too, intrigued her… and that little fact sent a shiver in fear down her spine. Red lights flashed all around her.

Know him? He wanted her to know him? She couldn't allow herself to know him even if she wanted to. And she didn't! Of course, she didn't. He was her deadly foe.

And knowing her? Oh, no. Certainly not, mister. All the dark secrets of her soul would stay secret. Two people knowing in this town were already too much.

She needed to stay on the safe side, no one had the right to try to pull her from it. She didn't deserve it, she had suffered too much. Safe side, she repeated in her head like a mantra. Safe side.

She sat up from the grass and quickly walked the distance to the gate. Just as it creaked shut behind her, she pulled out her cell and chose a number.

"Hi, Jackson? Yeah, I know it's a surprise… Good, good, you? Listen… are you free tomorrow night? I thought we could go out… Yeah? Okay, perfect. I'll see you tomorrow then."

She flipped her phone shut and turned on her heel to step into the road towards the town when she was startled by a presence of someone she didn't anticipate.

"Mrs. Fallon," she sighed, her hand over heart. "You scared me." The woman had that disconcerting habit of appearing seemingly out of nowhere.

"Did I?"

Meredith felt the penetrating stare of the woman.

"But you're not a person that is easily scared, are you? Or afraid of the unknown? Of the dark?"

Her heart started to beat wildly. She never believed that Mrs. Fallon had paranormal powers but she now seemed to be reading her mind.

"What's wrong with being afraid?" she asked challengingly. "It's a normal human emotion."

"But you never thought of yourself as normal… average… did you?" the woman raised her eyebrow.

"Conceit is a sin for which one pays very dearly," Meredith bit back and moved past her. "It was nice talking to you, Mrs. Fallon."

"You know, the earth is round," came the mysterious remark of the older woman.

"Excuse me?" Meredith frowned in incomprehension.

"It means that even if you run in the opposite direction, you'll eventually arrive at the place you want to avoid."

Meredith stared at her for a while before exploding, "Why the hell are you telling me this?"

"Knew you weren't a scaredy cat," chuckled the woman. "But you're letting your past stifle your spirit. It's an easy way to waste your life."

Meredith gasped, wondering if this was the third person in Rachel who knew her story.

"Well, then, that will be my life to waste," she gritted coldly.

"You're not from glass, Dr. Grey. Your heart is not from glass. It's life, it's supposed to be challenged-"

"That's funny. Because last time, my heart shattered to smithereens, exactly like glass," Meredith hollered losing control.

"And yet now it beats harder than ever before, doesn't it?" the 'witch' asked knowingly.

Meredith only shook her head and turned on her heel to run into the town without another word.

**A/N Hope you're not tired by now ;) It was one big MerDer moment.**

**It's Thursday here already so happy Grey's Day!**

**Love,**

**Em xx**


	10. Chapter 10: Seeing Stars

**A/N I'm sorry for the lack of updates… Don't know how that happened again, I have so many banked updates I could post almost daily. Hope you enjoy**

Meredith Grey managed to baffle him one more time. She was a spitfire, that he knew since he met her. She was gorgeous with the mischievous spark in her eyes, sun reflecting in her blonde hair, her throaty giggle. She was a caring doctor for people and other living creatures alike. And she had the incredible talent of being able to avoid you while being stuck in the same relatively small building for nine hours.

He arrived at the practice when the clock was almost chiming nine a.m. Izzie Stevens greeted him with the usual smile and an offer to make him a cup of coffee on which he wholeheartedly agreed. He was suffering from caffeine withdrawal. Soon Meredith floated downstairs with a quick good morning and disappeared into her office before the nurse could even give her the schedule for the day.

That was basically all he saw of her today. True, it was a rather busy day due to the fact that it was beginning of the week but hell, it wasn't the surgical wing of New York Pres! Even back home with back to back surgeries he managed to find time to drink a coffee with Mark or chat up the nurses.

Only Meredith could make the practice in a town of about two hundred inhabitants look bustling with patients. She did it on purpose, no doubt. He was sure his little speech the previous day was the underlying cause. What surprised him was that she avoided confrontation at all costs. Why couldn't she voice that she didn't want to have to do anything with him like she did so far? Maybe she didn't trust herself around him? He pondered hopefully as he waited in his office, careful not to make any noise.

He needed her to think he had gone home already so she could come out of the safe haven of her loft. He chuckled, it was like waiting for a scared kitten to peek out from under the bed. Only he knew that the blond kitten upstairs could scratch him to death.

It was after six p.m. when he heard her footsteps on the stairs. He waited until he knew she was in the lobby and came out of the office opening the door impetuously. He intended to startle her, to outsmart her with a witty line but instead, he was instantly as flabbergasted with her looks as she was with his unexpected appearance.

They stopped abruptly in their tracks, staring at each other. Derek swallowed mechanically trying to moisten his parched throat as his eyes became glued to her form. Good God… She looked like a goddess. She was wearing a black knee-length dress with a most enticing neckline, her figure accentuated by the high heels on her feet. Her usually messy hair were smoothly clasped at the back of her head allowing him to admire the perfect contours of her face and neck. He reached to loosen his collar a bit, he needed to remember how to breathe.

She was clearly not excepting him to still linger at the practice this late. Damn, she thought he was gone! She was doing so well avoiding him all day and now… Crap, she paraded in front of him in one of the few clothes she had taken from New York. She liked this dress and it bore no memories of Mitch.

"What are you doing here?" she asked clearing her throat, her hands toying with her purse.

"Working… I was coming… I mean, going… home…." he stammered. The devil of a woman always managed to render him bumbling like an idiot…

"Work finished at five…" she remarked nervously.

"I was hoping for a patient to come late," he tried to collect himself. "I… don't have anyone else to talk to really…"

"Oh…" she said simply.

No invitation to hang out, not a simple offer to talk. What did he expect?

"Unless you count Bert but he's in the doghouse since Saturday…" he almost bit his tongue off at his lame joke. Even the mention of his lice adventure didn't soften her heart.

"So… are you working tonight?" his blood stopped flowing in his veins just as the question rolled off his tongue. Lame! Lame! What was wrong with him? He was always a master of smooth-talking a woman. But Meredith Grey was no ordinary woman.

"If you think I'm a prostitute and this is my working outfit," she narrowed her eyes at him, recuperating her sass. Double crap, did she just come back to sex topics with him? She needed to be shot.

"Right… I mean, no!" he chuckled nervously.

"You were leaving you said," she dropped all the pretences. She wanted him gone. Jackson was about to be here any minute now as he was very punctual. And somehow she didn't want him to see him. She didn't want Derek to see Jackson… Not the other way round, she realized ruefully. She just didn't want the nosy New Yorker prying into her personal business, she rationalized. That was it, really.

"So, you're going out?" he stated the obvious.

"Eh…" she faltered. Jackson was definitely her friend and according to the town, something more than a friend. She wasn't into giving Shepherd the details though.

Unfortunately, the door opened and her date walked in, a small smile on his face that fell significantly at the sight of the black haired man.

"Hi, Mer," he walked up offering a small bunch of roses. "Are you ready?"

She accepted the flowers and had no other option but to plant a small kiss onto his cheek, just as she usually did. Why did it feel so bad now, in front of Derek?

"Yes," she said breathlessly looking for some container to put the roses in. "They're beautiful, thank you."

"Taking Meri for a date?" Derek asked him with a sort of nasty smile on his face. Meredith cringed at the pet name, it now looked as if their relations were much closer than in reality. Shepherd's intention for sure.

"As a matter of fact I am," Jackson nodded, superiority clearly etched in his voice. "You're the temporary co-owner, right?"

"I'm Meredith's partner, yes," Derek riposted shaking his hand. To tell the truth it was more of a hand wrestling than a polite greeting. For a moment Derek wasn't even concerned about crushing the bones in his precious surgeon hand. "But I might be here for more than a quick… stay," he said recklessly.

"We'll be going," Meredith dragged Jackson off with a roll of her eyes. "Dr. Shepherd, I'll be grateful if you could close the door behind you."

A plethora of feelings raged inside him as he beadily watched Jackson Avery take Meredith out, his arm draped around her waist. Regret? Unease? Hatred like he had never known? All logic would indicate that he was jealous… But he never got jealous! And yet, he could feel the fat green monster coiling in his stomach…

This was all very disconcerting. Being possessive of a girl… he never knew that feeling. His sisters didn't count. What was even worse than being possessive of a girl was when that girl was being swept away by a smug bastard right from under his nose… Who was that guy anyway? Meredith's boyfriend? A lover? He cringed at the thought of a random man touching her… kissing her… No, Derek shook his head vigorously, Meredith was way too awkward around that kid to have given him anything more than a peck on the cheek.

Derek was never a guy to give up easily. He shrugged, he had nothing to lose anyway. He waited a moment, slipped out to close the door and noted with relief that they didn't take a car. Taking a deep breath, he slowly followed the pair keeping a safe distance, occasionally hiding behind a building. Was he being unreasonable? Sure. Immature? You bet. Did he care? Not a slightest bit.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Jackson was a great sweet guy, he truly was. However, originality was not one of his strengths…

Her chin in her hand, Meredith sighed audibly surveying the inn. They had a booth for two but it was still a far cry from romantic. She understood Cristina's inn held the only restaurant in town, she did, but even in Rachel there were other opportunities for a date. More off the beaten track but still. Maybe it was all her fault? Maybe Jackson didn't want to risk the precarious state of their relationship? She didn't even let him kiss her on the lips yet…

Or maybe it was all Jackson… she registered grumpily as he sent her a full smile across the table. Apparently, he didn't mind that they were clearly in the view of everyone around, both locals and tourists who were more and more numerous with every day. Maybe it was because he grew up here. She loved Rachel but there were limits between her intimate life and that of the community. Unfortunately, the community didn't think so. Every time she was out with Jackson she felt watched, like every one of her moves was scrupulously scribbled down. She didn't hold it against them. It was their way of caring for her, showing affection. And they didn't know her story. They would be far more delicate if they did.

"Meredith?" Jackson looked at her attentively. "Is everything okay?"

Great, she got lost in thoughts even before the first course. "Sure," she smiled apologetically. "It's just… hot, you know? I'll go splash some water on my face. Be right back."

He stood up gallantly when she left the table and watched her back with a smile as she disappeared into the restroom. His grin faded considerably when his eyes swept the bar. He wasn't the only one following Meredith with his regard. There was the guy who arrived to Rachel last week wreaking havoc on his way. Meredith simply laughed off the idea of their rumored romance but he knew better. The way Shepherd looked at her with fire in his eyes, Jackson didn't like it. He finished his drink and got to his feet with intention of ordering another.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Derek's eyebrows lifted in a slight surprise as Jackson Avery led Meredith into the inn, the very loud boisterous inn… They came for a date… here? Hope was reborn in his heart. Maybe it was not an actual date but a casual outing with a friend? If HE was taking Meredith on a date, he'd made sure they'd be alone, at least for the majority of the time, and he could carry out his plan of ravishing her without interruptions that were bound to arise "Under The Alien". But who was he to complain about the poor date place choice? He should actually rejoice…

He entered the inn, inconspicuously mingling into a crowd of tourists. He fished her blond hair without trouble… and to his utter satisfaction! At first sight, she and Avery seemed engrossed in a conversation. But upon a closer look it was clear he was the only one talking while Meredith's expression indicated she was miles away mentally. And then she snapped out of it and excused herself to go to the bathroom.

Derek watched her graceful form saunter through the restaurant and with a little satisfied smirk decided he could as well have a drink while observing the disaster of a date. He didn't have a drop of alcohol in his mouth since he arrived.

He approached the bar and ordered his double scotch single malt. The barman gave him a long stare and continued to wipe a glass. "Run out," he drawled.

Derek inspected the row of bottles over his head and narrowed his eyes at him, "I'd suggest you look again. I'm pretty sure there's a whole bottle behind you." The fucking Rachel hospitability.

"That's reserved," the barman shrugged nonchalantly.

"For whom?" Derek snorted.

"For friends," the man challenged him.

"Jack," a third voice entered the conversation, a wad of banknotes landed on the counter. "Draw up that scotch. That's my friend."

"Thanks, man," Derek nodded gratefully at the strong-jawed red headed man as the barman complied to his request. "But I don't have any cash about me, just a credit card-"

"Don't mention it," he waved his hand dismissively sipping on his drink. "But I won't say no if you favor me with a story what you did to piss off the locals. There are pleasant enough folk."

"I'm honestly not sure," chuckled Derek taking a stool beside him and reaching out his hand. "Derek Shepherd. So you're not from here either, a tourist?"

"Major Owen Hunt, you can say I'm half-local now," he laughed. "I'm a doctor at Nellis Air force Base."

"Done any post mortem on aliens recently?" Derek joked, now fully understanding the barman obeying his plea. A military man from the base infamous for rumored alien experiments was a coveted personality.

"I'd have to kill you if I told you," grinned Owen.

"Jack, another round of drinks for me and Meredith," the hated voice sounded just behind his back. "Mr. Shepherd... what a surprise to see you… again," Jackson said sourly.

"Oh, Mr. Avery," Derek faked astonishment. "What a coincidence. I'd never expect to see you here."

"Actually, I think you did," Avery didn't beat around the bush. "And I suggest you leave."

"Excuse me?" snorted Derek fully turning on his bar stool to face him. "I'm having a drink. This is a free country."

Owen watched the exchange with a knowing look. He'd travelled a lot of the world, been in many bars. He could clearly recognize a situation when emotions were running too high.

"Oh, please," scoffed Jackson. "Who are you trying to kid? You're watching Meredith, following her all around like a dog, creeping around her. Stop every damn thing about her."

"Ah, there it is. A woman, there's always a woman," Owen muttered over his drink.

"I don't think it's possible," Derek replied good-naturedly.

"Sell her the practice and the house and go back where you came from. You've got no more business with her."

"On the contrary, Meredith is… my friend," Derek smiled.

"That's a good one," snorted Jackson.

"Avery, is this guy making any problems?" Alex Karev appeared at his side, Avery's heated discussion with the stranger catching his attention. He wasn't the only one who followed the exchange with unhidden interest. Some folded their arms over their chests, others stood up from their places. They were all like brothers in Rachel, they had each other's back.

"Yeah, he's making problems for Meredith," spat Jackson. "He's the guy."

Alex eyed him with resentment. "You're the son of a bitch that keeps harassing Meredith? Leave her the hell alone."

"Maybe we should leave it to Meredith to decide," Derek stood up his case. "She's adult, she's intelligent, she can make her own decisions about her life."

"Don't you dare talk about Meredith," hissed Alex. "You will get your ass out of our way or you'll regret."

"Really?" snorted Derek. "I'm trembling."

"You should," Alex narrowed his eyes at him, baring his fists.

"Gentlemen," Owen turned on his stool. "Let's chill. Let's get our drinks and mind our own business."

"Cool," scoffed Alex. "Finish whatever you're drinking, man, and walk away from our business."

"You think you're going to give me orders?" Derek snorted raising his eyebrows. "That's a good one-"

He didn't even manage to blink when Alex's fist collided heavily with his nose. He thought no more as his face exploded in a blinding pain.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

When Meredith reappeared from the restroom, just one look was enough to see something was going on. The bar was buzzing like a nest of angry bees. Some of the boys were on their feet, glares at their faces.

And then she heard it, loud and clear.

"Maybe we should leave it to Meredith to decide. She's adult, she's intelligent, she can make her own decisions about her life."

She stopped in her tracks, her eyebrows going up in surprise. It was Derek Shepherd's voice, she could recognize it anywhere. He was talking about her… It sounded… it sounded kind of like a compliment. And not an obnoxious you've-got-a-great-rack kind of one, a sensitive respectful one.

She was pulled out of her musings by the same voice, this time letting out a groan. Like a groan of pain. She sought him with her eyes, full of misgivings… and it was her time to groan. Derek was doubled against the bar, blood streaming down, his hands over his face, his breathing rugged and irregular as he tried to catch air by his mouth. She pushed her way forward through the crowd seeing Alex Karev rub his fist and other Rachel men close in.

"What is going on in here?" she demanded, her voice shaking with anger as she shoved Alex away violently.

"He's been trying to show what a cocky bastard he was," grumbled Alex.

"Has he, now?" she growled and Derek winced internally. Internally because he didn't think he could wince physically even more than he was now. His poor nose, somehow he suspected he might need that surgery Mark had been hinting at for years. But he should be more scared for little Derek and the twins, that was what Meredith would surely go after in her wrath… Great, he would lose the remnants of his pride and his manhood in a godforsaken bar in Nevada…

"Somehow it is you who's beating up innocent people in a bar, Alex!" she hollered and hurried up to Derek. "You!" she glared at Owen who was trying to help him. "Hands off him!"

Through his tearing eyes, he was able to discern Meredith's face at the level of his. Was that… concern etched on her features? Her touch was so delicate yet so strong when she grabbed his arms. "Derek, are you alright? No, obviously, you're not alright," she bit her lip, her fingers going under his chin to hold his head up to her eyes to assess the damage.

"He was insulting you!" Jackson appealed for Alex.

"Really? Is calling me intelligent an insult?" she asked sarcastically as she pulled a packet of tissues from her handbag and gently pressed all of them to Derek's nostrils to dam the bleeding.

"It's not what I meant-"

"Shut up!" she straightened to her full height, her hands on her waist as she surveyed the men. "You should be ashamed of yourself! All of you!" She rounded on Alex and Jackson, "You two, picking up a fight in the bar! With a weaker guy too!"

"Hey!" Derek mumbled through his nose. Weaker? What did she mean by weaker?

"Shut up and concentrate on groaning in pain, would you?" she hissed at him and he knew better than to exacerbate her further. He might just be slipping in her good graces and it would be an abysmal stupidity to ruin it.

"It's outrageous!" she shouted back at her folk. "You know he doesn't know anyone here, that it's everyone against him. He could be massacred if it turned into a brawl!"

She grabbed him under his arm to help him walk and steered him towards the exit.

"I'm disappointed in you, Jackson," she threw passing by him.

She sighed, she felt the scorching force of dozens of gazes on her back. She didn't care at that point. She wouldn't lie to herself, she hated Derek at first sight and she took wild pleasure in his misfortunes but… recently her hate started to ebb away. And she certainly didn't want to see him physically hurt, she didn't wish it to anyone. She was a doctor and a human being for God's sake. And he looked so small and crumpled in his currently vulnerable state.

"Are you bleeding still?" she asked leading him into the street.

"Yeah."

"Are you nauseous? Dizzy?" she fired another question and showed him a victory sign. "How many fingers do you see?"

"Five… three of them folded," he added quickly seeing her face transform in… worry. She seemed worried about him.

"Are you freaking serious?" she yelled. "Are you kidding me?"

"Yes, it has to be one of these two," he tried to chuckle.

"Are you playing smartass again?" she gasped and pushed him forward along the main street.

"What, were you worried that my brain may leak out through my nose?" he joked.

"A little piece of advice," she snorted. "Don't try to be suave with your front covered in blood, it looks ridiculous. Second, you don't get to joke when you get your ass kicked."

He tried to protest but she just dismissed him. "Oh, you totally got your ass kicked. If it hadn't been for me, you would have ended up as a wet spot on the floor, city boy."

A dissatisfied grunt was his only answer.

"I'm seriously asking if you feel sick in any way," her voice turned gentle. "You're losing quite a bit of blood-"

"I'm fine," he sighed.

"I certainly hope so," she sounded equally tired. "We still have a bit to walk. We came here on foot."

"Sorry for ruining your date," he choked out.

"Right, I'm sure you are," she rolled her eyes.

The evening didn't turn out as he expected. He had intended to silently observe Meredith and the love struck boy from afar, maybe make his presence known… gently. He didn't ask to get his nose smashed… Did he have to go to Vegas to be treated? He didn't want to put Meredith's abilities in doubt but… well, surgeons eyes should probably have a look at it and he couldn't treat himself. Still, despite his probably broken nose he was elated. It might be the adrenaline coursing in his veins or… Meredith pressed to his side. He felt absolutely fine apart from his nose, and he could easily walk unassisted but he certainly wouldn't share that piece of information with her. She felt so good against him. She fit. Like she was made for him… And she smelled so good… The corner of his lips curled in a smirk wondering in what other physical configuration they would fit even better.

After about fifteen minutes Meredith led him up the three steps into the practice and into the procedure room. When she helped him perch onto the table, all his pain was rewarded with a deep peek down her cleavage. Thank God he didn't refuse help walking… But he'd better watch it, if something else than his nose swelled out of proportion by accident, it would be his funeral.

"Lean forward a bit," she ordered him, washing her hands and slipping latex gloves on her hands. Damn, she was playing doctor on him while wearing that flimsy thing. What a turn-on… And she didn't even realize it… which was probably for the best.

She was back before him, her face, her whole body just inches from his.

"Hm," she let out gently examining his nose with a pen light. Her expert touch was so light it didn't even hurt. "It's bled like a bitch…" she muttered.

Crap, she was swearing and had that little frown on her forehead. Why was she so arousing to him when she was bossy?

"But it seems it's getting better," she sighed, tenderly wiping the dried blood from his chin and neck. "Keep it," she told him pressing the ice pack to his nose and cheeks. "It's already swollen so much, and frankly your nose had been twisted in all directions already, so I can't tell if there's any fracture. We'll wait and see-"

"Let's do an X-ray," he proposed.

"If anything looks out of place when the swelling's down a little, I'll do the X-ray-"

"Why not now?" he whined.

"Because it's not a standard procedure and I don't feel like radiating you for fun," she answered in a stricter tone. "I don't think it's necessary at this stage. It usually looks worse than it is in reality. Keep that ice on your nose. Don't bend too much forward, don't blow your nose. I will give you something for the pain but there will certainly be a lot of swelling and bruising and two black eyes I'm afraid-"

"Meredith, Mer," he interrupted. "I know, I'm a doctor. A head doctor actually."

"Oh," she stopped in her tracks. "You're right. So I don't have to feel guilty for not actually treating you like a patient?" she bit her lip.

"No," he answered and instantly regretted it as she virtually exploded.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she hollered, her eyes boring into hers, her hands on her hips. "What were you even doing at the inn? Why are you so stupid as to start an argument with people you don't know? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Are you having suicidal thoughts?"

"No," he gulped hunching like a naughty boy caught in the act.

"Then you're just plain stupid-"

"I am not!" he said haughtily, his voice muffled. "I don't think they have the right to decide on my life, on your life… That Jackson, is he your boyfriend or what?"

"They don't decide on my life, and… he's not my boyfriend."

"A friend? A friend with benefits? Or maybe just the nice local boy chosen by the voice of the majority to date you?"

"They're trying to make me happy," she shrugged avoiding his eyes. "In their own annoying way but… Jackson is a really nice guy. Well, not tonight, he wasn't. But he's really patient and-" she trailed off tucking her hair behind her ears.

"And what?" he inquired curiously.

"And nothing," she shrugged.

"Exactly, and nothing," he argued. "He bores you. He's not your type, it's clear as day. He's not going to give you what you need."

"And what is that I need, according to you?" she snorted. "A night of sex with no strings attached?"

"No! Remember what I said yesterday-"

"I remember," she shrugged. "You told me things yesterday… You told me that you wanted to know me. That you wanted me to know you."

"I did," he nodded.

"Why?" she asked simply. "I can understand your curiosity about me. What makes you think it's reciprocated? Your big ego?"

"You're fighting me with everything you've got," he stated shaking his head. "It's not just my curiosity about you, it's more than that. You fascinate me. I think you're the most fascinating person I've ever met. So I want to know you. And since I don't think it would be fair if it was one-sided, I want you to know me."

"You know what the problem is, Derek?" she said crisply. "I don't know who is the real you. I don't think you know either. Every day you're showing a different face. Once you're an asshole, and then you're the nice guy next door. You're Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

"I'm not-"

"Remember how we met? All you thought about was how to fuck me. And now you want to know me," she shrugged. "So forgive me if I don't give you too much credit."

For once, he didn't argue. How could he? She was right.

"I suggest we call it a night," sighed Meredith tiredly, breaking the uncomfortable silence that fell over them. "Too much attractions for one evening. I'll drive you home."

"Thanks," he nodded and got off the table not waiting for her help.

The short ride was silent, much too silent for their past experiences.

"I… can I help you with anything?" she asked walking him to the door.

"If I had a broken hand or leg I'd ask you to help me change into my pajamas," he managed to quip. "Since it's only my nose, I just have to thank you. Well, I guess you could also kiss better-"

"Shut up," she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Okay, shutting up now."

She rolled her eyes at him and came closer. Derek made half a step back as if afraid he had crossed the line.

"Coward," she muttered planting a tiny gentle kiss onto his nose.

"Oh," he breathed out. "That's not exactly where I pictured it."

"Really? You want some other part of your body mangled? Because I can call Alex, I'm sure he'll be game. Or I can help myself."

"No, that's fine," he gulped. "You're… a good nose kisser."

"Call me if you need me," she said seriously. "I'm a doctor first. And…" she bit her lip. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he frowned.

"For… this," she pointed at his nose.

"It's not your fault."

"I know it's not my fault but they're-"

"Your people?" he finished for her.

"Yeah," she breathed out. "Take care. Good night, Derek."

"Good night, Meredith."

He watched her drive away, contemplating her words. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?

**A/N Let me know if you want more. ;)**

**Em**


	11. Chapter 11: New Moon

**A/N Thank you for your lovely comments, you're awesome. :)**

**Bet ya didn't expect to hear from me so soon… Hope you're going to enjoy this one, MerDer's relationship is undergoing a gradual transformation…**

Derek shook his head with a laugh as he heard a violent smash and the line went dead. The conversation with his Chief of Surgery went just as he expected, neither better nor worse. He had to ultimately resort to blackmail to get his leave. But he knew he deserved the time off. He had barely been away from the hospital since he started working. NY Pres wouldn't crumble during the couple of weeks without him, as difficult as it was for him to admit it.

He deserved it and he needed it. What Meredith said the previous night, about not knowing himself, it broke him out of his comfort zone. He spent the majority of the night lying sleepless on his bed pondering on her words. Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? A manwhore or Mr. Nice Guy? Was that all she saw when she looked at him? If yes, then his future looked really depressing. He realized his life must have been centered around cutting into brains and unwinding indulging himself in the pleasures of material world and between a pair of smooth legs. It was like that for a good couple of years, since his career took a spin. He suddenly cringed, the image of Colin Marlow, a distinguished cardiothoracic surgeon, floating in his mind. He wouldn't like to end up as a creepy old playboy popping blue pills to keep going one day.

He eyed his phone pensively. He should probably call his mother to inform her himself about the prolonged stay in Rachel. Otherwise she would be worried sick.

"Derek," he felt immediately guilty at her surprised tone. "Is the world heading to its end if my son is calling me?"

"Hey, Mom," he chuckled. "How are you?"

"Same old, same old," she said lightly. "I've just got back home, had a coffee with Nancy. She's been quite upset. Apparently, she's got some serious competition for the head position."

"Do you need me to call later? You must have a headache," he quipped.

"Be nice, dear," she berated him, amusement in her voice.

"Oh, come on, Ma. You know Nancy's the most terrible person to be around when she's mad- well second most terrible," he chuckled.

"Second?" Carolyn asked curiously. "And who's the first?"

"I… have met some people in here," he answered vaguely. "Quite interesting people."

"That's wonderful. Do you remember anyone from when you were small?"

"Not really. Well, maybe that strange woman, Mrs. Fallon. She remembered me."

"Oh," Carolyn's voice sounded even more curious. "Did she say anything to you?"

"Yeah, well, her usual intimidating mumbo-jumbo."

"She was… she still probably is a very wise woman," she said seriously. "Don't take her words lightly."

"Okay, Mom, okay," he laughed. "Don't worry, she's not going to curse me."

"Don't be silly, Derek. And everything else is going fine? Have you sold the practice already? What about the rest of the property?"

"No… I… I haven't yet actually," he stammered. Every day the perspective of erasing the most solid pretext for being around Meredith and leaving her behind in Rachel seemed less and less appealing. He was nowhere near being ready to let go.

"You can't come to terms with that Mr. Grey?" his mother kept asking.

"No, well, we've had differences…" he stalled for time. Certainly, he and Meredith had the longest history of misunderstandings in the world but he was not going to tell his mother that. Nor explain that M.E. Grey was in fact a woman. A staggeringly beautiful fascinating woman whom, let's face it, he couldn't get enough of.

"I'm sorry to hear that, dear," sighed Carolyn. "When are you planning to be back? I need to know in advance to get everything ready for a family dinner."

"About that," he started cautiously. "You can go ahead with the family dinner this week whenever you like. I'm going… I'm going to stay a little longer in Rachel."

"Derek," his mother seemed seriously worried now. "Do you have any problems? What is wrong?"

"Nothing… nothing is really wrong but…" he stuttered searching for the right words. "I… I took a leave at the hospital-"

"Derek, son, you're scaring me. Why do you have to take a leave off work?"

"I don't have to," he denied. "I need to. At least I think I do. And I… I want to."

"But why?"

"Some things happened… no, I worded it in a bad way. Something got me thinking…. About my life, who I am… I think I need time to do some thinking. And Rachel it's a good place to do that."

"It is a lovely place. I always loved it there. It was your father's home. But… you're not depressed or…?"

"Mom," he chuckled. "I swear I'm absolutely fine," he assured feeling instantaneously remorseful as his regard centered on the tip of his nose, swollen and beet red. And painful. He certainly was not going to inform his mother he participated in a bar fight, if you could call one very well aimed hit a fight. She would be even more worried, not to mention disappointed in him. He already knew she didn't approve of his no-commitment romantic life. He didn't want her to think he was a burgeoning alcoholic too.

"So this leave? How long?"

"I've taken two months off."

Carolyn went momentarily silent.

"Mom?" he tried cautiously. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier but… I've just decided this morning. I didn't have time-"

"I'm not mad at you, Sweetie, just… surprised," she sighed. "We had to force you to spend three days away from the hospital with your family at the summer house last year. And you have no one in Rachel."

"I know, I know, I don't," he said hurriedly. Too hurriedly.

"Derek," she interrupted him. "Is there a woman involved?"

He blanched, how did his mother know him so well? Well, she brought him to the world and raised him, probably that was why.

He gave out a nervous chuckle, "A woman? What woman? Why would you think there's a woman involved?"

"Honey, I was not born yesterday," she replied, a little sarcastically. "There is one thing that can make men go more crazy than money and power, sex."

"What a compliment, Mom…" he groaned.

"I'm just saying," she shrugged.

"Trust me, sex is not what's keeping me here," he sighed ruefully.

"You don't want to talk, I'm not going to force you," she said giving up. "Thank you for calling me. I hate getting to know the last."

"I know," he chuckled. "It runs in the family."

"Take care of yourself, Sweetie, will you?"

"Of course. You too."

"And call me soon!" Carolyn insisted, hanging up. With a sigh, she grabbed the tablecloth and started to wipe the counter even if it was spotlessly clean. Cleaning always helped her think straight. Something was happening with her son. He was thinking about his life… She could only hope something good was going to happen out of this. It was time for Derek to make some grown-up decisions. He didn't necessarily have to start a family but having his job as the key element of his life, keeping women for pleasure, buying expensive cars and gadgets… With a little bit of luck that phase could be soon over.

And of course there was a woman, she snorted knowingly. Who was he kidding? There so was a woman. She must be a reasonable one if she didn't hop into bed with him on the first occasion, which was always a plus in Carolyn's eyes.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

It was already past 4 p.m. when Derek arrived at the practice. A full smile bloomed on his face as he spotted Meredith's car in the driveway. She was in. Good. He had news to announce to her, the sooner the better. He doubted her wrath could be contained if he stalled with telling her that his presence in Rachel, in the practice… near her… would linger on for the next two months.

He felt elated. It was a bit weird. He felt that elated for the last time when he bought his silver Porsche. Whereas now he only decided on staying on in a town where he was clearly unwanted, having endured parasites in his hair and his face smashed in a bar. Something in him was definitely changing. He was therefore somewhat disappointed when he noticed upon entering that she was hastily checking the contents of her medical kit, a sign that she was on her way out for a home call.

She lifted her head , her eyes stopping at him with surprise. "Derek, what are you doing here? You were supposed to stay at home and heal."

"I couldn't stay the silence any longer," he shrugged. "And I came for a checkup." He pointed at his nose with a smile.

"It looks even more terrible than yesterday," she sighed coming up to him to inspect it. "Any new unwanted symptoms?"

"Thankfully no," he shook his head.

"And the pain?"

"It's bearable," he said, maybe bravery would move her heart.

She couldn't help feeling sympathetic. He looked like a member of The Addams Family with that swollen purple nose and violet rings around his eyes.

"And for what it's worth, I would come over to check up on you," she sighed. "I'm not heartless."

"I've never thought you are," he hurried to assure her. "I'm just not used to doing nothing."

"Well, I'm not going to let you treat patients," she said firmly. "You look worse for wear and you're on pain meds."

"It's fine," he nodded. She was bossing him again… He was never into the dominatrix thing but it was turning him on so damn much. Crap, he could only hope she couldn't read his mind. Because it was really dirty at the moment. He respected her and he did want to know her but that didn't stop him from lusting over her body… "Are you going somewhere?"

"Oh, yes!" she gasped as though she had forgotten about it. "Another baby coming."

"Another?"

"I was getting back from a delivery when you stopped me on the way here," she giggled, the circumstances of their first encounter standing afresh in her mind.

"Oh," he grinned. "High birth rate around here?"

"Thankfully, yes. There's a sort of rivalry between Rachel and one of the towns up north. Currently, we're winning with the advantage of three people."

"Really?" he flashed her a full grin. "That must be a double satisfaction."

"You're really narrow minded, you know that?" she commented but without the usual irritation as she picked up her bag and car keys.

"Say what you want, but I'm not the one who makes babies for sport," he quipped.

"You need a ride?" she pointed at her car.

Hell, yes he did… but probably not the one she had in her mind. Why couldn't he stop his brain from producing innuendos about, well, about everything she said or did…?

"I'm okay," he nodded politely walking out with her. "I need to stretch my legs and you have to hurry to a laboring mom. Go on, I'll close up."

"Thanks," she muttered in a voice that sounded… grateful and ran up to her jeep.

He watched her car drive off. It was even better than he anticipated. He rubbed his hands with contentment, he was going to display his talents before her and hopefully it will placate her enough not to proceed with immediate castration.

His cell vibrated in his pocket. He had muted it earlier as all of his sisters, one by one, proceeded to call him, no doubt having learnt the news from mom. Gossip sprouted in the Shepherd family even faster than babies. He smiled, the Shepherds would be really helpful with the Rachel competition.

He peeked at the screen and noted with relief that it was Mark this time.

"Shep, finally, call the Chief and tell him that the joke is over!" Mark whined in his ear.

"What joke?"

"Oh, come on, the one about you staying when the devil says goodnight!" he growled impatiently. "I've spent half an hour in the Chief's office getting an earful and I didn't even have any idea what it was all about!"

"But I am staying," Derek let out a carefree laugh.

"Please, don't joke, it's just a ploy to strengthen your position at the hospital. Chief is already getting berserk, trust me-"

"It's not a ploy, it's my life," he sighed. "I am really staying here for the next two months, Mark. I need this."

"But… but you hate it there!" spluttered Mark.

"I don't… exactly hate it…"

"Who are you and what have you done with Derek Shepherd?"

Derek could only laugh at the note of panic in his best friend's voice.

"I spent my morning explaining it to Mom but I'm thinking through some things... some things to change in my life."

Mark was momentarily speechless. "What are you talking about, man? Your life is perfect!"

"My life is good," Derek agreed. "But there is always room for a change."

"Oh, man," Mark sighed ostentatiously. "Mid-life crisis has already got you. You're too young for that, wait some twenty years!"

"It's not a mid-life crisis," Derek laughed. "Except for the nose, I'm completely fine."

"The nose? What's wrong with your nose?" Mark snowed him with questions. "I mean, besides what was already wrong with it."

"You know I'm not exactly a rock star here," Derek explained reluctantly. "And yesterday my popularity hit the bottom."

"Jesus, Derek! You've got a beating? Is that why are staying there? Are you in a hospital?"

Derek rolled his eyes to the ceiling. He should have ignored the call just like he did with his sisters. Mark was even worse than Ma.

"You couldn't have gone more girly on me. I told you I'm absolutely fine. I'm staying because that's what I want to do. I'm going to keep working at the practice, I will be back in New York in two months, do you understand?"

"Can't say I do," Mark muttered, disgruntled. "What about the World Series? We've got the tickets for the Yankees!"

"I'm sorry about that Mark, I really am," Derek sighed. "Maybe you should take the Chief to smooth things over? I'll try to find a TV somewhere to watch the game."

"You suck," Mark snapped. "I'm throwing a tantrum here."

Derek chuckled when his friend hung up without further ado. Mark was… Mark. He probably needed to do some growing up too. He closed the door to the practice and directed himself to the grocery store. He doubted he'd find the ingredients he needed in Meredith's kitchen.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith returned to the practice a good couple of hours later. She was surprised to find the main door unlocked and a delicious aroma of food being prepared coming from upstairs. She got rooted to the spot in the lobby. Someone was cooking in her kitchen. She sniffed loudly and her stomach growled, demanding attention. Her well trained nose could distinguish chicken, yup definitely… And a cheesecake being baked. It must have been Izzie, she was a terrific cook. But why would she come and cook at the practice?

With a shrug Meredith climbed the stairs following the mouth-watering smell like a zombie. She certainly must be looking like one when she realized it wasn't her blonde friend who was busy around the stove.

"You… what are you doing I my kitchen?" she asked with a frown.

"Oh, hi," he smiled turning to her. "You're back. How was it? The delivery I mean?"

"Another stupid boy with a stupid penis," she answered mechanically repeating Cristina's line.

"Oh, well," he grinned. "At least you're four people ahead now."

"What are you doing in my kitchen?" she asked again folding her arms over her chest.

Derek couldn't deny he was relieved. She wasn't throwing daggers on him for trespassing what she saw as her territory. It was better not to remind her that he shared the ownership of the said kitchen.

"I'm making us dinner," he explained sweetly. "If you're tired you still have the time to grab a shower before the food is ready."

"Dinner?" her voice raised dangerously. "Did you get that concussion yesterday? You think I'm gonna have dinner with you? You're such-"

"Okay, okay," he threw his hands in the air. "Before those beautiful lips say things that would put a sailor to shame, you should know that I just wanted to be nice. We have some things to discuss and I thought that a dinner would be a good way to start… given that we don't have a good record of nice starts."

"What do you want to discuss?" she looked at him suspiciously.

"For example, the practice," he said to put her at ease.

"Oh," she sighed, a moment of letting her guards down and her stomach let out a loud rumble.

"And you're clearly hungry," he chuckled. "Just relax, Meredith. I think we're long overdue talking. Just talking."

"We can… just talk. About the practice," she slowly agreed.

"Great," he brought his palms together enthusiastically. "You must be tired. Why don't you grab your shower before the food is ready? I'll lay the table… oh, and I thought we could eat on the terrace," he pointed at the glass door. "You mind?"

"No," she swallowed, feeling a little lightheaded. "Go… do your thing. I'm gonna… shower."

She went to her loft in a daze. Derek Shepherd was Mr. Nice Guy today. He didn't make obnoxious comments. He made dinner. He was being attentive. And he was willing to do what she wanted from him since the beginning, to settle business between them. She didn't know what to make of that.

She stared at her naked reflection in the mirror. There was a man in her kitchen cooking for both of them. There was a man in her house. She tensed. She remembered the last time it happened. Years passed since that moment and right now it felt as though it was yesterday, she still felt the same disbelief, painful agony, humiliation, solitude… She didn't want to be that person anymore. She didn't look like her anymore. Her hair were longer, they reached past her waist if she didn't pin them on her head. They were flaxen from the sun. Her skin was tanned, more freckled. Her silhouette was more lean and muscled from being constantly out and about. She was stronger, she wasn't that crumpled woman on the bathroom floor. She never would be again. That was why she would act cool and collected around Derek Shepherd. Strictly professional.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"So, what are we having?" she asked reentering the kitchen.

"We're-" he trailed off as he took her in.

"What?" she frowned. She knew she looked slobbish in a ratty t-shirt and shorts, with her hair falling loosely around her, not an ounce of makeup one her face. She chose to look that on purpose not to give him any incentives but he could be more graceful about it.

"Oh, it's just you look, I'm sorry if I offend you again, but you look beautiful," he said seriously.

"What? I do not!" she gasped as though he sprouted a second head.

"Now you're going to fight me over the fact that you're beautiful?" he chuckled.

"I'm not beautiful," she muttered stubbornly and couldn't help the blush spilling over her cheeks.

Derek stared at her in disbelief. He knew some women who were coquettish keeping on denying they were attractive just to make a man assure them they indeed were. But Meredith Grey was not a coquettish person. She must really think she wasn't. And man, she was drop dead gorgeous. In this moment, he couldn't remember any other woman affecting him so much, even in the throes. Again, he decided to drop it, it was no use arguing about her body with her. At least not now.

"So what are we having?" she repeated her question, a bit nervously. "I think I smelt chicken."

"Chicken parmesan," he smiled and grabbed the dished to take them to the balcony. He saw it earlier when he came in and decided it was a perfect spot. It was located over the back entrance to the so-called vet entrance and was pleasantly shaded by a patch of trees. An ideal place for an evening meal. "Accompanied with a bottle of wine and followed with cheesecake."

"The cheesecake…" frowned Meredith walking out from the heat of the kitchen behind him. "It's in the oven…"

"Yeah, it's too early to take it out. Just turned off the stove."

"Yeah, I mean, did you… did you make it?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Yeah," he nodded and pulled out a chair for her.

"Thanks, I guess…" she muttered ungracefully, sitting down. "You made it… like yourself? From scratch?"

"Yeah. Impressive, isn't it?" he grinned as she kept on staring at him unblinkingly.

"You… can cook…" she raised her eyebrows and attempted to collect herself. "It helps with the ladies, doesn't it?"

"I've never cooked for any except for my family. Bon appétit."

"You want me to believe you don't show off your culinary skills to woo women?" she snorted.

"Do you feel wooed?" he quipped. "Is it working?"

She clenched her jaws, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Seriously, I'm not trying to get laid now," he sighed. "Can you try it? It's good."

She cautiously fulfilled his plea but was soon melting in heaven. "Mhm, damn, it's delicious…"

He quickly reached for his wine glass, to cool himself off. That little moan coming from her throat was rising his blood pressure. The way her lips circled around the fork…

"I'm glad," he said quickly swallowing the ruby liquid.

_Keep focused, Derek. Keep focused. You want her to believe you're an honest decent man… That is, you are an honest decent man…_ It would help if his thoughts were decent too.

"So, Meredith," he cleared his throat nervously. "I need to tell you something. I'm not sure how you will react so I'm just gonna say it."

Unexpectedly, she let out a chuckle.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's just that you rambled like you were going to propose," she guffawed over her plate.

"Oh, really?" he smiled, the tension broken. "That's how an engagement looks like?"

"How should I know?"

He was once again startled, this time by the harshness in her voice.

"I didn't say you did…"

"Whatever," she shrugged avoiding his eyes. "Go on with what you wanted to say."

"Okay…" he nodded, his curiosity aroused. He knew he couldn't pursue that topic either. "So… I've been thinking about what you told me yesterday. That you can't know me because I don't probably know myself."

"Let's forget about it-"

"I think you're right," he said simply. "I think you're right and I need time to reevaluate my life."

"Oh," she said gently, not exactly knowing how to respond to that or why Derek was telling her that.

"And I thought it was a good place to do that. Rachel."

"So…?"

"So I've decided to prolong my vacation," he admitted waiting for the hit.

"You… you what?" she gasped lowering her fork. "You've decided to stay here? For how long?"

"I… two more months."

"Oh," she said again.

"Oh?" he asked. "You're… not furious? Threatening to skin me alive limb by limb?"

"No, I get you. I mean… I don't know you as we've already established, but apparently you've got some things to think about… and Rachel, it's a good place to discover yourself. I'm not a hypocrite."

"You came here to discover yourself?" he couldn't help asking.

"No… I came here… I didn't even want to come here," she sighed.

"You've had an unwanted inheritance to take care of too?" he chuckled.

"No," she cleared her throat and swallowed a gulp of wine. "Anyway… I suppose you want to keep coming here?"

"Yes, I would like that," he nodded and leaned against the table. "Meredith, I don't want to make things harder for you. That stage of childish hatred is behind us, I hope."

"We do seem to be able to talk like two adults," she agreed reluctantly.

"I'm sure we can be coworkers for the next two months."

"And after that?" she eyed him seriously.

"After that I'll sell you the practice," he told her solemnly.

"And the house?"

"And the house."

"Okay, I guess we can manage. Or… you can sell me the practice already, you know," she smiled innocently.

"I don't think so," he grinned mischievously. "I like you, I really do, but I don't think I'd like you to be my boss."

"I'm an excellent boss," she pouted. "Just ask Izzie."

"I'm sure you are," he laughed. "Because you're bossy,"

"Shut up," she berated him, a smile still on her face. "Better bring me that cheesecake."

"Bossy, I told you," he smirked.

She shrugged with self-satisfaction. Maybe they were really able to coexist peacefully after all. She didn't exactly trust him, that didn't really change overnight. But apparently he wanted to work on his life. In Rachel. The place that helped her to regain her peace of mind. The place where she decided to stay for good just after one look around. Who was she to deny him the same right? If he really wanted to change his life, good for him.

Derek got to his feet to take the dishes inside and bring the cheesecake but the wind kidnapped one of the paper napkins. He walked around his chair and bent over to pick it up before it was carried away down on to the ground.

Meredith barely prevented herself from gasping audibly. She felt herself getting hot, and it was not from the wine. She groped around for something to fan herself but was unsuccessful as her eyes were fixed on one point.

He had a great ass… She could understand why he wore slacks all the time, the way they stretched over his shapely butt, his thighs…

She quickly cast her eyes down, coughing to disguise her bemusement.

"Meredith," he frowned slightly turning back to her. "Are you okay?"

"Ass…" she groaned absentmindedly.

"What did I do now?" he asked feeling dejected.

"Not you!" she rolled her eyes lying blatantly. "I was thinking about one of my patients. You think you're the only ass in town?"

"I'm not?" a full smile stretched over his features. Thank God his face was mutilated and purple around his nose and eyes. She wasn't going to drool about his front at least.

"Uh, you will be if you don't bring me that cheesecake," she threatened.

"Coming up!" he nodded with a smile and disappeared into the kitchen while Meredith let out a big breath she didn't know she was holding. Maybe there was some truth in what Cristina had been telling her for ages, she might need a release of sorts… She should invest into a vibrator. Definitely.

**A/N Please keep commenting, it's how I know the story continues to be interesting and there are readers interested to read on.**

**Love,**

**Em**


	12. Chapter 12: The Eye Of The Storm

**A/N I'm very glad you enjoyed the last two updates and thank you for all your comments!**

**I think you're going to like how this one progresses…**

Derek took another gulp of his ice tea, getting comfortable in the leather chair in his uncle's… no, his office. The full sun made the room glow brightly while air conditioning pleasantly cooled his skin. It was a very slow day. He had only one patient, Meredith had zero. Well, she had one if he included a pregnant cat. He almost laughed his head off when a girl in her early teens brought the cat, expecting Meredith to deliver the kittens. Of course he let his amusement out in the solitude of his office so as not to offend anyone or piss Meredith off. She took all her patients very seriously. She explained the girl very patiently that it was not the time for the little ones to come and when the time was right, the kittens would come without her help.

Yeah, working at the practice was fun, he remarked with surprise. Apart from the incredible and hilarious situations, he could just… rest. Drink his coffee, or rather ice coffee, sit in peace, gather his thoughts, chat with Meredith or Izzie. The unhurried pace was filling him with a sort of blissful serenity. He wouldn't have believed a few weeks back if someone had told him he'd enjoy working anywhere else than in the bustling hospital. Of course, he still missed the scalpel like hell. But he felt entitled to have a little summer fling with the practice. He would go back to his true love, surgery, in two months.

Meanwhile, he could enjoy the baseball game he was supposed to go with Mark and which he was now relating to him over the phone.

"Mark, move it faster!" he grumbled as he missed another good action. They were having a video connection and thanks to Mark he could follow the game live.

"I'm not your fucking servant, Derek!"

Mark was still very clearly pissed at him for staying in Rachel as well as for asking him to send Derek some of his clothes from New York. He hoped they'd arrive soon. His current wardrobe had shrunk considerably, some of his best shirts and pants he brought with him were no longer of any use.

"Yes!" Derek whooped with the stadium as the Yankees scored. "Beautiful!"

"You sure you're still a Yankee boy?" snickered Mark. "Maybe you have turned to Texas Rangers."

"I'm not in Texas, Mark, I'm in Nevada. And I'm a Yankee boy through and through," Derek rolled his eyes. "I'm offended with your remark- Keep the phone straight!"

Mark muttered something about fucking princesses under his breath but obeyed his request.

"Just like that!" he gasped as the hitter sent the ball flying high and far. His eyes nervously followed the player circling the bases. "Yes! Come on, come on! Faster! Yes, yes!"

Suddenly, the door to his office opened startling him enough to drop his phone onto his lap.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith flipped her phone shut and got to her feet, pulling off her lab coat. A house call coming up, just perfect to break the monotony of the day. She should probably take Derek along, she thought briefly as she went to the lobby. He wasn't popular with anyone in the town and he should start to warm up to the people if he really intended to stay for these two months.

She stopped before his door, her hand raised in the air ready to knock in case he was with a patient and… then she heard it. A muffled grunt through the door…

"_Just like that! Yes! Come on, come on! Faster! Yes, yes!"_

Her mouth hung wide open in shock. What the hell was he doing? Well, she had a pretty good idea. She felt ripples of anger inside her, did he picked up some whore and was shamelessly doing her in the office?

"Iz, is Dr. Shepherd seeing a patient?" she asked dryly.

"Not that I know of," shrugged the blonde. "But I went to make coffee a couple of minutes ago so someone might have come in that time."

"Hm," Meredith frowned and with a barely audible knock pushed the door open. "Hey, I'm going-" she trailed off.

Derek was indeed alone… with both of his hands between his legs behind his desk, panting.

"Oh," her mouth made a perfect letter 'O'. "Sorry, didn't want to interrupt… anything…"

"You didn't," he gulped feeling himself flush.

"That's okay," she smirked pitilessly. "You have… needs."

"I don't have needs," he gritted out. Why did he always make an idiot out of himself in front of that woman? The woman whose opinion he valued above the opinion of any other woman ever before?

"Okay," she nodded, her lips twitching. "You don't have needs, that's okay too."

"No… I… I have needs, just not now," he mumbled and stood up, showing he was absolutely not in need.

"So, the moaning and the dirty talk?" she decided to tease him a bit more.

"I was talking to my best friend," he replied biting his tongue immediately. Great, just fucking great.

"Oh!" her eyebrows rode even higher. "I didn't know…"

"It's not like that!" he exclaimed in panic.

"That's really okay, Derek," she nodded soothingly. "I don't mind-"

"I'm not!" he barked out angrily.

"Derek, no need to argue. Everyone in town knows already."

"Knows what exactly?" he shot.

"That you're, you know, not into girls," she shrugged. "I mentioned to Cristina that you made dinner and she couldn't keep her mouth shut so now everybody knows."

"So what?" he frowned.

"As far as I know no man in Rachel can cook, not to mention bake. That's like mission impossible."

"So the fact that I can cook means that I'm gay?" his hands flew to his sides desperately.

"Pretty much," she nodded. "That and the clothes, and the perfect hair."

"I am not gay," he glared at her. "For your information Mark, my best friend and brother, is at the baseball stadium. I was cheering on the Yankees."

"Suuure," she nodded biting on her lip.

"How can I help you?" he asked gruffly. "You heard my so called dirty talk and decided to join in the fun? Pant along with me?"

"I've got a call. I'm going to see a patient. Thought you should come."

"Aw, you thought of me?" he grinned.

"No, I didn't think of you," she rolled her eyes. "I thought of my patients. Why do you think it's so slow the last few days?"

"Because no one needs to see a doctor?"

"Wrong. Because people know you'll be working here and they don't trust you," she announced blatantly.

"Oh, well," he sighed uneasily. "They'll see I'm a good doctor in time-"

"That's not enough," she interrupted him. "You have to reach out to them."

"Reach out to them? You're telling me to suck up?"

"Not kiss their ass," she sighed as though she was talking to a five-year-old. "Be nice and attentive. Or… you know, don't bother," she shrugged when he kept staring at her. "I'll go by myself. Finish watching your match or something."

"No, I'll go," he assured her quickly. She was volunteering to take him on a case, he'd be stupid to refuse.

"I don't want to trouble you," she shrugged sarcastically.

"Meredith," he said calmly. "It will be my pleasure to come with you."

"Better watch out with that pleasure," she quipped. "There's no gas station on that side of town so I'd have to throw you out on the middle of the desert. Get your ass in gear, we're leaving in two minutes."

He sighed audibly after she left. Great, first she took him for a manwhore and now he was gay. Just perfect.

"Mark," he picked the phone back. "What's the score?"

"You're knocked out cold man," he whistled. "She mauled you!"

Derek clenched his jaw. He should have thought about disconnecting first.

"I was asking about the game, Mark!" he gritted.

"Who cares? I left the stands to listen to that fascinating little exchange. Who does that sexy voice belong to?"

"You just couldn't help eavesdropping, could you?" Derek reproached him, irked by Mark calling Meredith sexy. She obviously was but it was no one's interest!

"Oh, touchy," chuckled Mark. "You're hot for her, aren't you? She's that good, huh?"

"That's not your business," snapped Derek muting the phone. It would be a disaster if Meredith heard that too.

"Of course it's my business. Your business is my business. Is she your boss or something? She sounded very domineering… I like that."

"She's the co-owner of the practice," Derek admitted with a defeated sigh.

"You dog! That's why you stayed!" laughed Mark. "You should have told me instead giving that thinking about life bullshit."

"It's no bullshit. I am thinking about my life and… Meredith helps."

"I bet," Mark snickered. "But why does she think you're gay? You've gone that bad in this department?"

"We haven't… you know," sighed Derek.

"I'm gonna barf, you sound like we're in high school again and you can't get laid."

"I'm ending this conversation. Don't tell Ma anything."

"That you haven't 'you know'?" laughed Mark.

"That she knows. I meant about Meredith. Mom already asked me if I stayed for a woman."

"But you did!"

"I didn't… and even if I did, mom doesn't have to know about it."

"SHEPHERD!" Meredith's voice hollered from outside. "Are you deaf or what?"

"Gotta go," he muttered to Mark and ran out.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Thank you for taking me along," he said gratefully as they sped out of town, Meredith behind the steering wheel and Derek tightly wrapped with the seatbelt.

"Mhm." She put on her black sunglasses.

"Who's the patient? If it is a who…"

"It is a who, Chloe Bishop, 32. Severe abdomen pain and nausea."

"Not very unique symptoms," he said pensively.

"I know," she nodded. "But I bet it's food poisoning."

"You bet?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah. It's Chloe's birthday. She throws a party every year. And every year somebody gets poisoned. She's a terrible cook. What's even worse, she doesn't know that. But she's a great person so nobody wants to rip her heart out."

"How can you not know if you're terrible cook?" Derek asked curiously.

"She lives with her sister," explained Meredith. "She always tries to keep Chloe away from the kitchen. Derek… if anyone asks, we're over our necks with work."

"We're not."

"I know that." He could bet she had rolled her eyes at him behind her shades. "But… I'm a town doctor. You always invite the town doctor if you have a party or something."

"You must be leading a glamorous life," he chuckled. "No wonder you like it here so much."

"You enjoy ticking me off, don't you?" she asked amusedly.

"I enjoy our banter," he replied sincerely. "Anyway why exactly are we so occupied with doing nothing?"

"Because I don't exactly want to stay for the party. You'd willingly risk your stomach's wellbeing? I don't think so. I was a step from getting poisoned two years ago. Fortunately, I mean unfortunately, someone grabbed that fateful portion of the cake before me."

Derek broke out in laughter, "I like it here more and more!"

She smiled at his admission and went on to recount another local story which he found even more amusing.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Derek's eyes inconspicuously swept over the little gathering reunited around their patient's bed. This was a birthday party? It looked more like a funeral, Chloe's family and friends couldn't be wearing more distressed expressions. They weren't all grim. Some looked impatient, others relieved. And they should be, they were winners in the poisoned food Russian roulette this year.

"I'm dying!" the said patient moaned from the bed.

"You're not dying, Chloe," Meredith assured her gently.

"I want to get up," she instead trying to sit up on the bed, "but everything is spinning…"

"Don't try to get up," Meredith eased her down. "You'll only get more sick."

"But it's-"

"For heaven's sake, it's just food poisoning, Chloe!" one of her cousins from Las Vegas blurted out, a scowl on her face. "Just like every year!"

"It's impossible!" groaned Chloe. "I only ate a piece of my cake. I'm dying."

Everyone looked a little uncomfortable while Meredith and Derek exchanged looks of understanding.

"You are not dying, Chloe!" the temperamental cousin spoke up again ignoring the looks the family was giving her. "The truth is that you can't cook, you can't bake, and you poisoned Aunt Mia five years ago, me two years ago, Jason last year and now yourself!"

"That's not true!" gasped Chloe. "Not true…" she looked around over her family but no one seemed inclined to deny. "I… I poisoned three people and myself?" she broke down in sobs.

"Chloe," Meredith rubbed calming circles on her arm. "No one is holding it against you. Everybody adores you."

"I'm a total failure! I can't cook, I almost killed four people myself included and… my boyfriend… who is going to dump me!"

"Sweetie, of course I'm not going to dump you, I love you!"

"I'll be an awful wife who can't cook!" she cried uncontrollably. If this was going to continue she would have to be sedated.

"It's not true," Derek spoke up brining attention of everyone around. Meredith arched one of her eyebrows questioningly.

Yup, her face was clearly asking him what the fuck. But she said herself he needed to reach out and it seemed like a perfect time. He was completely in the spotlight though, even Chloe halted her sobs, surprised to hear him for the first time.

"I mean, my sister, my eldest sister, and I have four of them in total," he started conversationally. He was good at chatting people up. At least he thought he was until he met Meredith. Anyway. "So Nancy, is a terrible cook. So bad that she poisoned half of the family with salmonella five… six years ago, including our Mom, two aunties, two our sisters and three nephews. That was quite a feat. But she's still a great wife and mother," Derek smiled encouragingly.

"Really?" Chloe wiped down her face from tears. "That's even worse than me…"

"It is," Derek nodded with a grin.

"Oh well," sighed Chloe. "It isn't the end of the world after all…"

"Oh, thank God," Chloe's cousin sighed with relief just like everyone else. "Dr. Shepherd, are you going to stay for the rest of the party," she battled her eyelashes. "The birthday girl is sick but we can have a drink to her health."

"No… uhm, sorry, we're… we can't," he stammered. What was going on with him? He was never awkward around women.

"I'm sure you have many stories to tell," she smiled at him saucily.

"We're very busy," he told her hastily and hurried after Meredith who was already on her way to the jeep walked off by Chloe's sister.

"Thought you might want to stay?" she asked him, one of her eyebrows raised questioningly.

"Stay?" he frowned.

"The feisty cousin," she shrugged. "She's pretty. She works in a casino, you know."

"So?"

"You know. What, she's not your type?" asked Meredith innocently.

"Feisty and pretty is definitely my type. That's why you can't get rid of me," he wiggled his eyebrows.

"But I'm not going to sleep with you whereas she seems very willing," Meredith challenged him.

"I am not interested in whatever she is willing to do," he confessed looking her in the eye.

She gazed at him curiously, he seemed sincere. Was it relief she felt at the fact that he wasn't interested in the girl…? No, absolutely not! She didn't have a care in the world. He could do as he pleased. She broke their visual connection walking around the car, frowning suddenly.

"What's wrong?" he asked coming up beside her.

"Breathe in the air."

"What for?" He inhaled deeply not understanding a thing.

"Can you smell it?" she asked gently.

"What?" he leaned nearer, her pleasant flowery scent tingling his nose.

"Don't… sniff me!" she jumped away from him as if he was a red hot iron.

"You asked me!" he chuckled. "And I smelled it, real good. A shampoo?"

"A conditioner, lavender," she bit her lip. "But that's not what I wanted you to feel. The rain, I can feel the rain in the air."

"Really?" he raised one eyebrow disbelievingly. The sky was perfectly clear. "It's going to rain?"

"More than that," she sighed ushering him inside the car. "A storm is coming."

"No way," he chuckled. "It's so peaceful." Not a leaf trembled on the trees and bushes around the house. He couldn't feel the wind on his heated skin.

"Have you ever heard the expression "calm before the storm"?" she rolled her eyes sarcastically as the car rolled into the road leading to the town. "You're such a city slicker."

"I guess I am," he sighed. He learned something new about life every day.

"But… you did good with Chloe," Meredith said gently. "You calmed her down, thanks for that."

"Oh, so you can do that!" he grinned from ear to ear.

"Can do what?"

"Praise me," he quipped. "I was beginning to think you were incapable of telling nice things."

"Idiot," she grumbled.

"Nuh-uh, you complimented me, it's done. Deal with it."

"You know, I think I need to drive faster," she smirked stepping on gas. She knew Derek didn't feel comfortable with her driving. "I want to get back before the storm."

In the corner of her eye she saw him go green on the face and check his seatbelt.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Damn, I didn't think it would come so quickly," muttered Meredith half an hour later.

Ten minutes after they left Chloe's, the sky darkened ominously, imposing the night during the day. A spectacular lightning crossed the heavens, instantly followed with a thunder.

"How far are we?"Derek asked, watching the weather lash out at them in fury. Meredith was driving incredibly slow due to the wall of rain that surrounded their car from every side but he wished she'd be able to drive like maniac. Anything was better than this.

"About ten miles," she sighed. "I'm pulling on the side. We can't go on like this. We'll wait it out here and continue when it's over."

"That's the most reasonable solution," he agreed. "It's impossible to see anything outside."

She stopped the engine and pulled back her seat, relaxing with her arms behind her neck. Derek, on the other hand, seemed much more fretful, glancing through the window with worry etched on his face, his seatbelt still fastened.

"Derek, are you okay?" she asked quietly, barely audibly over the beating of the raindrops against the hood.

"I'm fine," he sighed.

"It's just a storm," she smiled at him gently.

"But we're in the middle of it!"

"It happens."

"It does? You've been stranded in a storm before?"

"A couple of times," she nodded, cocking her head in his direction. "I stop, I wait until its over and get back on the road. That's it."

"It doesn't scare you in the least?" he asked with bewilderment.

"What's to be scared of? Just a few flashes and thuds. And rain."

"Combined all together, pretty scary on average," he winced trying to make out anything outside. "Are you fearless? Because you seem to be. Not afraid of anything and anyone."

"Of course not," she smiled from her seat. "No one is."

"Oh, yeah?" he looked at her pensively. "So what is it for you that you're afraid of? Obviously not thunderstorms, birthing horses, picking strangers in the desert…"

Her expression changed minimally. He noticed her swallow, her breath lengthen a little. But when she answered, her response was as sassy as ever. "You don't think I'm going to tell you all my weaknesses, do you?"

"You know all mine," he quipped.

"I'm sure I don't. Sometimes I think I haven't even scratched the surface."

"That was either a big compliment or its exact opposite…"

She giggled in response and sat up rubbing her arms. "Are you cold? It's getting chilly."

"A bit, yeah."

"I've got blankets in the back."

Derek's breath hitched in his chest momentarily as Meredith crawled to the back between two front seats, her butt at his eye level for a brief second.

"You coming?"

"Ssorry?" he mumbled, his throat becoming a bit dry as he watched her bury herself under one of the blankets, holding another one out to him.

"It's more comfortable in the back. Unless I'm one of the things you are afraid of?" she smirked.

"Oh, you are definitely one of my weaknesses," he breathed out following her onto the backseat.

"Bet you're regretting leaving the party now."

"Not at all," he assured her, settling close beside her. He was actually having the best time since he arrived to Rachel. He was with Meredith and they were talking without hostility, which happened more and more often between them. "There's nowhere I'd rather be right now. You?"

"It's… pretty good…" she shrugged.

"No urge to push me out and drive away?"

"You're being a good boy so far…" she said looking up at him, almost bumping her nose into his. Suddenly he was so close to her, closer than their faces ever were. She could drown in the mesmerizing blueness of his wide eyes that were gazing at her so intently. She could see all the imperfections of his features that made it so perfect… His stubbly cheeks, strong definition of his jaw, his crooked nose that still bore traces of the adventurous night in the bar, his lips looking soft and tempting…

She felt so warm, both because she was wrapped in the blanket and from the heat that radiated from his body. There seemed to be a huge fire inside her. What was going on with her? Her mental capabilities seemed to be shutting down as their faces pulled each other forward like magnets, their eyes half-lidded.

The rhythm of his heart mirrored hers, so wild and erratic. Any second now, he was going to die and go to heaven. In a jeep stranded in the desert during a storm, heavy raindrops rattling around like gunshots. He was going to kiss her, he thought with the last working neurons in his brain. He was going to taste those lips he had been fantasizing about. She was allowing him to taste them, which was even more incredible.

Their heads cocked into opposite directions just a bit, in an amazing synchrony. First, it was their noses that touched, their sides brushing and bumping against their cheeks to finally, finally allow their lips to connect with a deep sigh.

Derek had anticipated how good a kiss with Meredith would be but… this exceeded all his expectations. He never felt so good, so excited, so satisfied yet yearning for more at the same time. And their lips were barely grazing with the gentleness of a feather.

Ever so slowly his tongue cautiously caressed her lower lip and she automatically lowered it down before any reasonable thought entered her mind. It felt heavenly, for both of them. He never believed Meredith would agree on this kind of contact with him. The taste of the kiss was therefore strengthened by the surprise. And good Lord, the kiss that still could be described as chaste was exponentially more pleasurable than an intimate favor of another woman would be, than it ever had been.

Meredith didn't remember herself being equally responsive to such a simple caress. But it had been three and half years ago when she was this close to a man for the last time. And although she had been engaged to that man it didn't feel anything like now. The state that Derek's lips and tongue were driving her in… tingling from head to toes…

Impossible to know where would the initially innocent kiss have led if it hadn't been for the lightning that struck awfully close. They sprang apart, startled.

"Thank God we're not under a tree," he panted, the short kiss leaving him just a bit breathless. Another lightning illuminated the interior of the car, allowing them to clearly see their faces.

Meredith had her lips clamped with her hand, her trembling hand. The reality of the situation seemed to finally soak in. She let her guards down, she let a man penetrate her barriers…

If Derek wondered what a scared Meredith Grey would look like, he might have just had his answer. Her eyes were wide, her face deadly pale. He wished he had never actually got to know.

"Mere-" before he could utter a word she completely astonished him by tearing the blanket aside and jutting out of the car, straight into the pouring rain. "Meredith! Meredith, what are you doing?"

She started to pace up and down on the road, her face in her hands, seemingly oblivious to the downpour.

"For heaven's sake, Meredith, come back into the car!" he yelled after her but to no avail.

She was in a sort of a trance, a daze, completely unresponsive to his yells. Not wasting another second, he jumped out after her grabbing her shoulders, making her stop.

"Meredith! Please come back!" he shouted over the rain, shaking her gently. He rushed her back into the jeep, only slight resistance on her part.

"God, Meredith," he breathed out shutting the door securely behind them. "What were you thinking storming out like that?"

"I'm sorry…" she muttered, shivering. Her clothes were completely wet, just as his.

His heart panged at the sight of her, the beautiful mess beside him. She was a spitfire, his fearless and invincible spitfire, who now looked thoroughly defeated. He hated himself for the fact that he had brought about this.

"Mer, I'm sorry," he hurried to assure her. "I am so so sorry if offended you or… forced myself on you… I thought you wanted it too, my mistake obviously," he cast his eyes down, looking at his own hands.

As much as it cost her to admit the truth, she couldn't stand the tortured look on his face. This was her fault only. The circumstances threw them in a vulnerable position, they bonded and…

"I wanted this," she admitted in a shaky whisper while his head shot up in shock.

"You…?"

"I'm not carved out of stone," she shrugged, her cheeks covering in a blush. "I forgot myself for a minute and well… It was an urge, not a conscious decision. In this respect, yes, I wanted this."

"Oh," he let out a deep breath of relief.

"But it doesn't change the fact that it should never happen again," she said quietly.

"Why not?" he asked gently. "We are both consenting adults, we can both feel that pull of attraction. You can't deny that. It's been between us since day one. And before you say anything, this is not just about the sex. I want to-"

"Know me, I know. And you want me to know you."

"Yes."

"Derek, besides the fact that I don't do summer flings, I don't do flings at all-"

"Mer-"

"Don't Mer me," she berated him but her voice was gentle. "You're here for two months, it would be a summer fling by definition. Besides that, I'm not looking for a relationship of any kind."

"What about Avery?"

"He was a nice guy, I thought I'd maybe… But I'm not ready. I'm dark and twisty. Scary and damaged."

"And completely soaked," he sighed.

"I beg your pardon!" she squinted at him. For some unidentified reason she was pouring her soul to Derek freaking Shepherd and he thought it was a moment to make obnoxiously presumptive comments? And she had come to think he had a sensitive side…

"Well… you're trembling," he said with a frown. Why was she snapping at him, again?

"Of course I'm trembling, I'm cold!" she scoffed.

"I know. Me too. Not surprising with our cloths completely wet."

"Oh… you meant… that…" she stammered.

"What did you think I meant?" he couldn't resist smirking.

"Nothing, forget it," she rolled her eyes.

"Meredith, listen I swear I don't have any secret intentions and I won't look even if my balls will probably explode but… we need to get out of these clothes. I don't feel like catching a death of a cold."

"You're right," the doctor in her won over her reservations. "It doesn't look like it stops raining any time soon… Just turn around and don't look! You don't want to know what I did to a certain guy in New York who tried to look under my skirt."

Derek raised his eyebrows in surprise as he started to unbutton his shirt. In New York? A thousand questions begged to be asked. He chose not to. She told him a lot today anyway, he was in no position to press.

"Meredith?" he cleared his throat.

"What?" she breathed out, wiggling out of her denim dress.

"You can look at me, you know, I don't mind…" he smirked.

She felt the thudding of her heartbeat, not only in her chest, as she heard the clinging of his belt buckle.

"I'll pass," she croaked, biting on her lip. She slid her panties down her smooth legs under the blanket and quickly covered herself up to her chin. "I'm… I'm okay… I think…" she mumbled and turned around to see Derek's strong back, the blanket so low around him to barely cover his ass. When he faced her, the view was even better. Thank god it was dark or he'd see her drool.

"God, you're beautiful…" a strangled choke came out of his throat, making her blush like a schoolgirl. She looked so gorgeous, sexy and innocent if that made sense. Her semi damp hair fell loosely on one side of her face onto her shoulder, leaving the other one adorably bare. Her wide eyes shone like two emeralds while her skin glowed in contrast to the brown blanket which she was pressing to her heaving chest. The blanket under which he knew she was naked. Yes, his balls were going to explode tonight.

"You're not so bad yourself," she whispered breathlessly only to giggle a second later, breaking the tension. His hair was curling from the rain in all possible directions. "And you have an afro on your head."

"I do not!" he gasped flattening his ebony mane self-consciously.

"You so do!"

"I do not!"

They stared at each other. The situation was so surreal…

"So?"

"So?"

"Uhm, what do we do now?"

"I suggest we try to get some sleep," she said casually. "I won't be surprised if the downpour lasts all night."

"Okay… you know, if you could move here…" he patted the place beside him, "we could stretch our legs…"

Damn him and his logic…

"Just don't try anything funny," she warned him and tried to crawl over, careful not to bump her head against the roof and drop the blanket. She could barely keep it around her breasts.

"Ah, much better," he sighed with relief as they changed their positions. She felt his arm go around her waist.

"Hey!" she shouted smacking him against the chest. "I said no funny business!"

"It's for body heat," he shrugged yawning, his arm steadily around her. "Goodnight, Meredith."

She sat there rigidly. She hadn't been in a man's embrace for years, she was not ready for it. And yet… the anxiety was slowly being replaced with something else. Why, why were Derek Shepherd's arms so soothing, calming her down… She gradually relaxed against him, allowing herself to lay her head on his chest. It was… nice. She could let herself be in a man's arms for one night. Just one night.

"Goodnight, Derek," she huffed closing her eyes. He smiled in the darkness thanking high heavens for sending the storm and granting him the unparalleled privilege of holding Meredith's petite body.

Thunderbolts chased over the desert around their car but they couldn't care less as the heavy raindrops lulled them to a peaceful sleep.

**A/N Comments, please?**

**Em xxxx**


	13. Chapter 13: Ray Of Sunshine

**A/N I'm sorry I haven't posted this earlier but the last days were busy and I'm having internet problems *sigh*.**

**The morning after, hope you enjoy…**

Some insistent noise was trying to wake Meredith up but she didn't have a care in the world. She was too comfortable sleeping, she didn't want to get up. She hummed in her slumber, why did she feel so comfortable this morning? As her brain slowly returned to consciousness, she could feel she was half-lying somewhere and it was not her bed. It was much much better than her bed.

She nuzzled her face into her pillow. It was a strange pillow… Hard, so warm and… hairy. She felt around with her hand. Why was her pillow hairy? And why did it have… a nipple? Her mind, curious by nature, demanded questions.

The first thing she saw after she opened her eyes was Cristina, tapping erratically on the car window, a gigantic smirk on her face. Seeing Meredith awake she opened the door unceremoniously.

"Time to rise, sunshines," she grinned and glanced beside Meredith. "I bet he's already risen all right."

Meredith's head whirled following her gaze and her mouth hit the floor. That was no pillow she was clinging to. It was… Derek Shepherd's very manly very muscular chest! He was groggily waking up too.

"Cristina?" Meredith frowned at her best friend, deciding to let her brain process one thing at a time. "What are you doing here?"

"Actually, I should be the one asking that question," quipped the Asian. "Izzie came to the practice and panicked. No you, no Shepherd, no message, no nothing."

"Oh, crap," groaned Meredith rubbing her temples. "It's past nine?"

"More like past eleven," snickered Cristina. "Anyway, Izzie called me and called Rigsby, We've been looking for you for two hours."

"Rigsby?"

"Don't fret, I called him off before he could get an eyeful of something gossip worthy."

"Gossip worthy?" Meredith repeated her words again.

"Hello? Are you still asleep? You and Casanova here, shamefully naked, in a very compromising position…"

"Na… ked…"

"Niiice," Cristina snickered. "Someone must've done a helluva work last night… Are you brains still in the state of Nevada?"

"It's… not what you think it is!" Meredith argued heatedly, a blush spilling across her cheeks.

"Isn't it? Why do you let him stare at your boobs then?"

"Wha…!" she gasped, openmouthed. She looked down to see that the blanket fell to their waists sometime during the night. Her head shot up to Derek's face and she cringed in embarrassment. He was not staring at her boobs. He was past that point. He was devouring them or at least wanted to devour them, his tongue moistened his lips.

"I told you not to look!" shrieked Meredith and punched him in the chest but the only thing she achieved was falling into the void between the back and front seats.

"You said that yesterday," he quipped seemingly falling out of his stupor, though his voice had a distinctly lower quality than usual. "How could I know it would be valid the next day?"

"Secret rules, huh? Kinky," Cristina wiggled her eyebrows and backed away from the car. "I'll leave you to it so you can save the last shreds of your dignity. I'll follow you to the practice, Mer. I've brought breakfast."

"Oh, god…" Meredith groaned while trying to catch some support to climb back. She watched with irritated disbelief as he yawned and stretched himself lazily. Trying hard not to become mesmerized with the hard muscles rippling underneath his skin she shouted, "What do you think you're doing? Get a move on! We're already late!"

"But I don't want to move," he pouted bringing his hands behind his head, as if offering all of his chest for her to feast her eyes on. "Besides, it would be just a tad uncomfortable," he sighed pointing at his lap.

"Ugh, you're going to wash that blanket," she grumbled, taking no notice of the shivers that ran down her body straight to her clit, an organ she had almost forgotten she had. Apparently, Derek Shepherd reawoke the beast. Damn him and his stupid boy penis. She could barely think with all the curiosity about what was hidden under the blanket…

"Get dressed, turn around and don't look!"

"In that order?" he smirked leaning down to pick his crumpled clothing tangled with hers. "I believe... this is yours?" he grinned lifting the black lacy material of her panties with his index finger.

She snatched it with a huff. "This is so… humiliating on so many levels…"

"Not on that many levels…" he hinted.

She rolled her eyes pulling her dress over her head. Here we go again…

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"So, you were so kind to drop him home," Cristina said getting out of her car in front of the practice.

"Yeah," Meredith shrugged going inside. "What should I do? Leave him in the middle of the desert?"

"Well, it's not like you haven't done it before…" snickered Cristina.

Meredith sighed seeing four patients waiting for a doctor's assistance in her lobby. What a relief she didn't come with Derek, it would spin the gossip mill for the next week or longer.

"Good morning," she looked at them apologetically. "I'm sorry you've been waiting, I was caught up in a storm last night."

"Is everything all right, Dr. Grey?" one of the women asked.

"Yes, no worries. I'll just have a quick shower and be right back with you, okay?"

"And I have your breakfast," Cristina reminded her, trudging a big basket.

"Oh, right, thanks. I'll take it to the kitchen-"

"No, I'm fine, I can take it up," Cristina shrugged and went upstairs to leave the food on the table. But before Meredith could blink she was right behind her following her into her room.

"What?" she hissed at her friend. She would have shouted but there were patients one floor down.

"Is he any good? He looks like he'd be good," the Asian rattled off instantly.

"We… we didn't… do what you think we did!" gasped Meredith.

"Right," Cristina snorted, folding her arms over her chest. "I might be an innkeeper, not a brain surgeon, but I'm not stupid! You and him both naked and touchy feely? Speaks, or rather screams, louder than words."

"We didn't! Damn, Cristina, you know I wouldn't!"

"So what's with the just fucked look?" Cristina was mightily confused.

"Just fucked?"

"Wow," Cristina gasped. "So... you really didn't?"

"No!" Meredith rolled her eyes.

"So you didn't see his…?"

"No!"

"Maybe fingers…?"

"Honestly, Cristina! We didn't even get to the second base!"

"Wow… wow… he must be good! You didn't have sex but you look like you were coming all night- Wait! Wait, wait! What did you just say? Not even second base?" Cristina narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously. "Does this mean what I think it means? There were some stops before the second base?"

"We…" Meredith swallowed passing her hand through her tangled hair tiredly. "We kissed."

"With tongue?"

"A bit," Meredith said with a small voice, sitting on the floor and cradling her face in her palms.

"Wow… must be some tongue to make you feel like that…"

"Cristina! I don't think that's the main point of concern here!"

"Au contraire," Cristina smiled sitting down beside her. "He made you feel things. You let him be around you. You let him touch, kiss you. You haven't been that close to a man for a long time."

Meredith let out a big audible sigh sinking her head into her knees.

"Did you like it? The kiss?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, but it was quick. I freaked out a few seconds into it. Ran out into the rain making a total idiot out of myself."

"And what did he do?"

"Came after me and made me go back into the car."

"He asked you what was wrong?"

"No… he thought it was his fault…"

"And he didn't press for any explanation?"

"No, he was actually behaving like nothing weird happened."

"Maybe he's not so brainless after all," Cristina said pensively. "What now?"

"Now?" cringed Meredith. "What do you think is supposed to happen now?"

"You don't think you can avoid him for however long he's here, do you? Or pretend it never happened? Meredith, you kissed him. Don't expect it will go away because you want it to."

"What else can I do?" she shrugged.

"You can see where it takes you."

"You're telling me to jump into… something with him? Why would I do that? He's gonna be gone in two months."

"Exactly. You won't be getting into anything serious, you'll just… test the waters. Think of it as a phase… to something that's waiting for you in the future. And you could do with some fun."

"Funnn," Meredith let out a muffled snort. "I feel like I'm living a freaking chick flick."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Come in!" Meredith called out from above her chart hearing someone knocking on her office's door.

"Hey," Derek's smiling head peeked inside followed by the rest of him, a very flawless looking rest of him. "I've brought you coffee. Thought you might need one after our eventful night."

"Shhhh!" Meredith made wide eyes at him and gestured to close to the door.

"There' no one here," he chuckled. "No more patients, Izzie left for lunch."

"Thanks," she muttered gratefully taking the offered cup while she eyed him, one eyebrow riding high. "Seriously? What's up with you and the clothes? How do you even manage to make them look like they're brand new?"

"I grew up in a house with five women. I don't think it was possible not to acquire certain life skills."

"That might explain it," nodded Meredith. "I grew up alone and I can't cook or do the laundry."

"No siblings?" he asked curiously.

"Two sisters," she said without thinking.

"You said you grew up alone?"

"It's not mutually exclusive," she shrugged dismissively. "I bet you can't change a wheel."

"And you can?" he grinned.

"Among other things," she said vaguely.

"Meredith, listen," he fidgeted in his seat. "I'd like to talk… about yesterday."

"What about yesterday?"

"I… I really value our relationship… which is heading to friendship I hope. I don't want to lose that. But I also think… Look, we both wanted that kiss… and I think we both enjoyed it. We could have something extraordinary here…"

"Something extraordinary?" sighed Meredith. "We snap at each other all the time… You live in New York…"

"But we have something, you can't deny that."

"I'm not sure I'm ready… for anything…" she played with her wristwatch absent-mindedly.

"I'm not going to press you, I'm not going to harangue you with questions," he promised. "I just hope you don't push me away so we can… see where this takes us."

"See where this takes us…?" she breathed out.

Another knock interrupted them. The door opened to reveal Jackson standing uncomfortably with w bunch of flowers in his hands.

"Meredith, I-" he trailed off seeing her in company of Derek.

"Oh, hi, Jackson," she gave him a nervous smile, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ears.

"Hey, Mer… I… I wanted to give you this," he held out the bouquet for her, his eyes glancing at Derek sitting comfortably in front of Meredith's desk. "In apology… I thought maybe we could talk…?"

"We… ah, yeah…" she stammered. Awkward! Why did it always happen to her?

"It's okay," Derek stood up to his feet with a small smile. "I'll leave you two so you can talk." He nodded at them and walked out.

"So, it is him," Jackson said quietly after the door closed behind Derek.

"Him?" she asked nervously.

"Meredith, don't deny," he pleaded. "He wouldn't have left without a word of protest if he wasn't sure where he stood."

"Jackson, I… I don't know what to say," she looked at him apologetically. "I didn't plan on it… and nothing happened-"

"It's okay, you don't have to explain yourself to me," he stopped her quickly, a sad smile on his face. "I had no claims over you."

"I'm sorry… Jackson I'm sorry," she sighed. "I really wanted it to be you."

"Me too," he nodded. "But you can't control someone's heart… At least, that's what Mrs. Fallon told me once."

"I doubt that's what everyone will think…"

"Don't worry about everyone," he assured her. "I'll be the first one to admit it's better this way."

"You're such a great guy, Jackson," she smiled at him. "And I feel terrible for-"

"Don't, Mer, don't," he pleaded. "I want you to be happy at last, you deserve it, and you have never been as far as I can remember."

"I've been… fine," she shrugged.

"Exactly," he chuckled. "But you can count on me whatever happens, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Derek left Meredith with Jackson in her office and took Izzie's usual place behind the counter. He was being a gentleman but it had its limits. Sure, Avery didn't stand a chance, certainly not after what he shared with Meredith in the car the previous night and minutes before in her office. But Derek learnt recently that he was a jealous man, he was a possessive jealous man and he didn't like Meredith being closed up with another guy in a small room.

So he waited in the lobby until Avery was out. To make sure he was out…

"Dr. Shepherd," he nodded at him when he finally left Meredith's office, his face weary.

"Mr. Avery," Derek reciprocated the nod with reserved politeness.

Jackson directed himself towards the door but thought better of it and turned back abruptly.

"I am not going to stand on Meredith's way," he said, startling Derek. "Because I wish her all the best. She's a wonderful woman."

"She is," agreed Derek, getting to his feet with a frown.

"That's also why I won't stay put if I see her in pain," added Jackson in a more serious tone. "I swear to you that if you ever hurt her, that nose bleed would be just a mosquito's bite compared to what you're going to get. And that's just only me remember. Meredith has a lot of other friends."

Derek watched him whirl around on his heel and hurry out. He sat back down in the chair with a deep sigh. One would think he was dating a mob princess. But that was all unimportant. He could feel he was about to start something with Meredith. He didn't know what but it already felt wonderful. And Avery was no longer an issue…

**A/N I might be changing the rating to M soon, not sure yet, I probably should.**

**Please, comment!**

**Em :)**


	14. Chapter 14: Midnight Man

**A/N Hello everyone, hope you're having a good weekend!**

**This chapter is mildly mature in content. Hope you enjoy!**

All her motor functions seemed to shut down. Her eyes wandered over his glorious chest. She wasn't capable of moving, of speaking… She was too far gone. She was reduced to a trembling mass of limbs when he kept her thighs spread with his strong yet delicate surgeon hands. He made her feel like a virgin, and that was quite a feat.

"Derek…" she moaned feeling the incredible need in her contracting walls.

"As you wish…" he whispered throatily and reached to the zipper of his trousers. When these were down, he hooked his thumbs underneath the waistband of his boxer briefs and started to drag them down… slowly, so torturously slowly… She would finally discover what was under that piece of designer underwear. She couldn't help licking her lips as the boxers went down and down, over a patch of jet-black hair to…

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Meredith opened her eyes abruptly, her pulse frantic, her brain completely disoriented… and her girl parts demanding attention. She sat up on her bed trying to make some sense of the situation.

She must have finally fallen asleep. She had trouble last night. A ping pong match seemed to be raging inside her skull. Derek. Jackson. Jackson. Derek. Mitch… When the sleep claimed her, Derek was clearly the winner in this struggle. She blushed even though she was alone in her room. She had a wet dream about Derek Shepherd! She could still feel how wet…

Thud. Thud. Thud.

That was what woke her up. Her nostrils flared in anger when she checked her watch. One freaking a.m.! Who the hell woke her up in the middle of the night? In the middle of her pleasant dream? Just when she was about to see everything behind those boxers…

She tore her cover angrily and marched to yank the door open.

"What?" she growled. Of course, Derek Shepherd himself! He had to haunt her both in her dreams and in reality, without satisfaction in either case!

"Hey, Mer," he gave her a nervous smile.

"Hey, Mer? You're waking me up at 1 a.m. and all you've got to say to me is hey, Mer?" she shouted. "Are you dying?"

"No-"

"Are you in labor?"

"No!"

"Then that about covers it. These are the only cases I allow to be woken up for. And you ruined my dream…" she grumbled eyeing him, her regard stopping a little longer at the level of his hips.

"No, wait! Please, Mer," he begged in her doorway. "I… I need your help."

"With what?" she stared at him.

"Uhm, I know you have the cable…" he trailed off.

"So what?" she shook her head. "You think it's remotely important in the dead of night?"

"Actually," he cleared his throat. "There's a match repeat-"

"Unbelievable!" gasped Meredith. "Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"It's the World Series!" he pleaded with desperation. "The Yankees-"

"I don't give a shit! I'm not gonna let you into my room to interrupt my precious hours of sleep!"

"I'll do everything," he begged. "Whatever you tell me to do."

"You're volunteering to be my bitch?" she snorted.

He nodded vigorously, his eyes puppy-like.

She laughed, "As tempting as that offer is, I prefer to go back to bed."

"It's not like I'm telling you not to," he argued in a tiny voice. "I'll even mute the volume."

"I'm not gonna sleep with you in my room!" she huffed.

"Oh, come on! We've already slept together!"

"That was a critical situation."

"It is one too!" he tried to persuade her. "It's the World Series!"

"I don't give a cra-" a doorbell sounded loud and clear from downstairs. "Oh, no… It must be a patient…" she groaned eyeing Derek up and down. "You're clothed!"

"I'm unpopular here," he sighed with fake dejectedness lifting his hands in a defeated gesture. "Don't want to scare anyone."

"Yeah, right," she rolled her eyes and backed to her room to grab a sweater. Derek insinuated himself behind her, his eyes searching for the TV.

"What do you think you're doing?" she gasped when he found the remote control with shiny eyes and switched the TV on.

"Watching the match," he threw over his shoulders changing the channels with a zeal of a maniac. "You're going to take care of the patient anyway."

"What if it's a thief? A rapist? You're going to send me down myself?" she tried to trick him.

"Why would I go with you? To save him from a painful death at your hands?" he quipped.

"Ass! You're out of here when I'm finished!"

"Sure, sure…" he muttered absent-mindedly, already immersed in the game.

She left him with her nose in the air and he didn't move from his spot on the carpet for good ten minutes until the commercials appeared on the screen. He heaved himself up, for the first time registering he was in Meredith's room. Without Meredith. He couldn't believe he actually pulled that off. Thank god someone had got sick… oh, that came out so wrong…

Derek made a few steps around. A room could tell a lot about its owner. It was definitely bright, cozy. A plush carpet, rich curtains. But it was also messy. The desk was cluttered with all sorts of things, a plate with food crumbles rested peacefully on the laptop keyboard. Some clothes were thrown over an armchair in a heap.

One peek into the opened wardrobe told him she didn't have the habit of ironing her clothes. He tripped over an abandoned shoe and his eyes caught sight of one of the boxes on the top of the closet. He squinted curiously. He could make out the shape of a few frames. These could be her diplomas, certificates. This box could tell him where she came from, where she graduated from med school. He was tempted, oh so tempted to drag it down and have a look. But that would be an unimaginable invasion of privacy, travesty of her trust. She agreed to leave him in her room, her sanctuary. He couldn't trample it all just to satisfy his curiosity. Meredith would never trust him again after such trespassing. And even if she didn't know, his conscience wouldn't give him a rest.

He moved away from the closet towards her bed and the familiar lavender scent wafted to his nose. She was sleeping in it when he woke her up… This time he couldn't stop himself, he didn't see a reason why he should as he grazed the pillow with his fingertips. He felt like such a pervert when he sat down and sank his back into the soft rumpled bedding. He inhaled deeply, lavender enveloping him whole. Meredith's bed… he wished she was with him in it. Or did he? She would probably be tearing her throat out at him. But he didn't care. He felt so peaceful and lethargic. So good.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith. He nearly came in his slacks just at the sight of her. She was a goddess, sensuality and sex appeal personified. His eyes scrutinized every inch of her, the red high heels at the end of her super long legs, the flimsy strapless red dress that barely covered her ass, it barely contained her breasts either. Her long hair was perfectly straight, shiny and luscious. It took his breath away when it flew in the air when she turned, sending golden reflexes.

They were playing. They always played games with each other but this time it was pool. She squeezed the cue seductively with both of her hands and he almost expected to see her dance around it. Instead she brought it onto the table, bending down, her breasts practically spilling from her tight dress. She sent him a saucy wink before suggestively posing the pole to hit the ball.

He was breathless admiring her flawless curves as she walked around the table, winking at him, her fingers suggestively tracing the pole making him lose the grip of his. Next thing he knew, she had fistfuls of crimson rose petals at the level of their faces. Her glossy lips rounded and she blew out making the petals fly into his face, tickling his skin.

"Derek…" she purred, her eyes locked with his, crawling to him over the table. "Oh, Derek…"

"Oh, Mer…" he moaned.

"Shepherd!"

His eyes shot open, his name still ringing in his ears after she had screamed it at the top of her voice inches above his face.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith climbed back the stairs to her loft wearily. Helping the patient took longer than she anticipated, much too long. However, she was sure Mr. Perkins was in a more uncomfortable position. This was the first sex injury she had tended to in Rachel. She was completely unprofessionally beet red when Mrs. Perkins finished the account of the incident, her own blush just as intense. Meredith had to admit people here were resourceful… no! Not going there… She was enough sexually frustrated as it was.

She pushed the door to her room open. She expected to find Derek still glued to the screen. Indeed, the match was on but Derek Shepherd didn't seem to pay the slightest attention. Her jaws clenched and she swallowed hard as she saw him lounged on her bed, his feet on the floor.

What the hell was that? She fumed. A present for her? Her dreams coming true?

She cautiously went in and right now her jaw hit the floor as her eyes were fixed between his legs. Holy mother of erections… The bulge in his slacks stood out in the air like a little mountain. Derek Shepherd was rock hard. In her bed. His head trashed a little from side to side. Her core pulsed dangerously when she heard his muffled moan. Holy crap, was it her name she heard?

She took a few deep breaths crossing her legs as she felt herself getting wet. Self-control, she needed to grip herself together! She wasn't some hormonal bitch in heat, led by the urges of her vagina. She had more dignity than that. Or did she?

Clenching her fists she hovered over him and over his gianormous hard on.

"Shepherd!"

His large dark eyes fluttered open in a haze.

"What are you doing in my bed, pervert?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. "Jacking off?"

"No!" he gasped and sat up with a groan, unsuccessfully and painfully trying to hide his erection from her view. Judging by her smirk, she already got an eyeful.

"A had a wonderful dream and you ruined it…" he huffed mournfully abandoning all pretences.

She gulped. She could bet the practice she was the protagonist in this dream. She cleared her throat, "Well, you ruined mine so we're even."

"What was your dream about?" he asked cocking his head.

"About you naked," she snorted.

"Seriously?" he gasped excitedly.

"God, you're easy," she lied with a snicker and shooed him away. "Get off."

He raised one eyebrow suggestively.

"Off. The. Bed," she gritted out feeling like slapping herself. Everything came out involuntarily porny.

He got to his feet with a dramatic sigh.

"Oh, the match is still on…" he muttered.

"Yeah, you wanna watch it?" she asked with a doubt in her voice.

"Uh," he sighed looking down at himself. The bulge seemed embarrassingly reluctant to shrink. "No, thanks. I'll actually…"

"Go to the bathroom?" she smirked knowingly. "Just not mine. Use the one off the corridor. And kindly disinfect after yourself."

His lips pressed into a tight line. "I'm not gonna…" his voice faltered as hobbled to the door.

"Right," she rolled her eyes.

"But if I were," he smirked turning to her in the doorway, "I would totally think of you."

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?" she choked out.

"Could be. I also thought you'd appreciate my honesty," he quipped.

"Sometimes you'd prefer to stay tongue-tied," she grumbled. "I want to get back to sleep now, Derek."

"Going, going," he said hastily. "Sweet dreams, Mer."

"Thanks," she muttered diving into her bed. "I'm pretty sure I don't have to wish you the same."

He chuckled softly and closed the door. Meredith switched off the bedside lamp with a sigh of relief. Or was it frustration…? She stilled suddenly sniffing her pillow. It smelled like him… She felt her walls clench. Damn you Derek Shepherd! She hoped he would take care of his business really quickly and go home because… because she had her own business to take care of. The walls here were paper thin and she was always quite vocal…

She smiled when she heard him walk downstairs. Off to her own sweet dreams…

**A/N Please, comment!**

**Em :)**


	15. Chapter 15: Blackout

**A/N My internet has been really lousy the last couple of days but that problem is solved now so I can post again.**

**Really hope you're going to enjoy this chapter ;)**

**And mind THE MATURE CONTENT Alert!**

Meredith groaned at the sound of her cell phone that rang from her nightstand. Couldn't she get any sleep? She groped around it, her eyes closed and she muttered sleepily, "Hello?"

"Hey, Mer."

Here we go again… Derek fucking Shepherd wasn't letting her get a good night's sleep… and not in a good way.

"I hope you don't mind me calling this early?"

"What is the tone of my voice telling you?" she huffed with irritation.

"That I should fuck off," he said quickly.

"Correct," she yawned.

"I'm sorry, I'll take two minutes of your time. I have problems with the plumbing."

"Excuse me?" Her eyes shot open. She spent a night feeling extremely sexually frustrated. Her fingers were of only temporary help. Now, here he was saying something like this…

He went on, "I woke up this morning and the pipe was stuck-"

"I don't need to hear your dirty-!" she gasped.

"What are you talking about?" he seemed genuinely surprised.

"What are you talking about?"

"The pipe under the sink in the kitchen," he said with obviousness in his voice. "What do you- Wait a minute! You thought-"

"Whatever," she grumbled disconcertedly. She could hear the satisfied smirk in his voice.

"And they say sex is all men think about…" he whispered seductively. "Women seem to be no better."

"I've never claimed otherwise," she stated boldly.

"Nice," he whistled. "You're stepping up."

"What's that plumbing problem again?" she asked disregarding his saucy tone.

"Which one? Now I have two…"

"The one with the bigger pipe," she shot viciously.

"Okay," he said happily. "So I had this dream last night-"

"What the hell?" she growled into her phone.

"You told me the bigger."

"Yeah, right, keep telling yourself that," she snorted. "What's wrong with the sink?"

"The water doesn't go down."

"Well, can't you unclog it?"

"Doesn't work."

"You're such a baby," she sighed getting to her feet.

"Are you gonna help me or not?"

"Yeah, yeah…"

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Derek was reading the news on his phone over his breakfast when he heard a car stop in front of the house. He peeked out and noticed with a pleasant surprise that it was Meredith, resolutely carrying a toolkit in her hand.

"You're a plumber too? In addition to being a doctor and a vet?" he greeted her with a smile when she strode into the kitchen without any knock on the door whatsoever.

"Yeah, I'm a specialist in blocked pipes," she smirked.

He coughed, choking on his pancake. She slapped him hard on his back as she walked to the sink. She shouldn't look at him, she definitely shouldn't look at him… Damn, why was she running hot and cold around him? It was so freaking frustrating… She shouldn't even be here, she could have well called one of the neighbors to give Derek a helping hand. But she couldn't resist coming herself, which was completely unreasonable giving the fact they would see each other in a couple of hours at the practice anyway.

She opened the cupboard under the sink and lay down on her back for better access.

"Mer?" he gasped trying to catch his breath. He was catching fire. She was wearing shorts and her smooth tanned legs were lounged out on full display. Her shirt rode up revealing the flat planes of her stomach…

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," she said from under the sink, unscrewing a fragment of the pipe. "The drains are old and thin, it happens. But what about those life skills of yours that you acquired in the house of five women, huh?" she snickered.

"Well…" he sighed.

"Those life skills are stereotypically feminine, aren't they?" she smiled.

"I guess you could say that…" he admitted.

"I thought so."

"Seems like we're complementary," he remarked gently, observing as she cleaned the pipe from the clustered remains of food and fitted it back.

"Now, it's all good," she said washing her hands and turning to him, for a while forgetting about the rule not to look at him. Her mouth went momentarily dry at the sight of him. He looked absolutely delicious… A white wife beater stretched over his expansive chest, revealing his muscled arms to her, a pair of boxers hung low on his hips. He must have just got up before calling her but his hair was already styled to perfection.

"Meredith?" he whispered throatily under her meticulous scrutiny. He was well aware of the sexual tension in the room. Hell, little Derek was too. He was already hardening against the material of his boxers even though Meredith did nothing to get that reaction from him. He was just so receptive around her.

His growing cock was Meredith's undoing. Maybe she knew subconsciously what she came here for since she crossed the doorstep.

One second they were locked in a stormy needy gaze, the next one she was right with him, molding her body with his hard frame, crashing her mouth against his. She didn't even let him moan when she pushed her tongue forcefully inside his mouth. He was so lightheaded and surprised, his tongue could barely keep up with her ferocious attack, the way she lapped, caressed, suckled, nipped… Her fingers clawed into his hair steering his head according to her wishes.

"Oh, God…" he panted when her insistent lips moved along his jaw to nibble on his ear. He was dreaming, right? He was simply reliving one of his wet dreams which ended with him waking up embarrassed in his bed ejaculating like a teenage boy. But at least he didn't have to use his hand, he was close to getting blisters. All because of her, she was making him constantly horny without any effort.

But this was not a dream. She was finally in his arms. His hands didn't know where to go first, what to touch, there were so many wonders of her delectable body that he yearned to explore. All his hairs stood up to attention as she purred into his ear when he grabbed her ass cheeks. She ground against him making him stumble a little. Their lips reconnected and they immersed themselves in a fierce kiss that lasted until they were utterly out of breath.

Her palms dived under his wife beater to do what they dreamed about, touch the rippling abs, scrape them with her nails… They both moaned, desire raging through their veins. His hips bucked into hers on their own accord.

"Condoms… you have… condoms?" she managed to ask before they were too far gone. They were still fully clothed and she didn't want to push things forward if they wouldn't be able to finish them. She didn't want to think about anything else, no reasonable thought. She was getting an orgasm from him today and that was decided.

"Yeah, yeah," he groaned wildly as his fingers squeezed around her covered breast. How long had he coveted those perfect milky orbs…

"Go get'em," she shoved him away, slapping him on his ass, and he trotted as quickly as his engorged penis allowed him to. Hell, yes, he had condoms, he had a full box of them, unopened, the one he purchased at the memorable gas station.

His hands were literally shaking as he brought the box from the bathroom. He almost dropped it on the floor in shock since he was met with the sight of Meredith sitting on the edge of the table with her legs spread wide. Her shorts and panties lay forgotten on the floor so as not to interrupt the motion of her glistening fingers that kept playing with her clit and disappearing inside her.

"For the love of God…" he muttered, his legs turning into jelly.

He had managed to clear his brain a little during his trip to the bathroom. He decided they should discuss their situation before plunging into…. er, taking their relationship into a whole different dimension. But now his brain seemed completely fried. How could it not with her pleasuring herself shamelessly on his kitchen table. He was in a porny porny heaven he never wanted to wake up from. He always wanted it with her but at some point lost hope that it would happen in reality and now…

"You gonna keep staring or what?" she hissed with irritation. Yup, it was still Meredith Grey even though her lips were desperately taking the much needed air, her eyes glazed and uncoordinated.

He gulped and limped to her. He was barely within her range when she pulled at his wife beater sending him against her, naturally between her legs.

Her impatient fingers that seconds ago had combed her wet core ran around his waist and tore his boxers down without warning, exposing him fully to her eyes.

"Oh… oh…" she moaned with every breath she took. One could think she was having an orgasm at the mere sight. "Condoms…" She snatched the box from his hand and tore it open haphazardly and pulled a condom tearing its wrapper with her teeth.

"Mer…" he panted, shivers shaking his body. "Maybe… should talk…?"

"Talk?" she breathed out as she rolled the latex on his rock hard member. "Derek… you're so big… I need you to fuck me with that huge cock of yours…"

Oh, lord… She thought he wanted a dirty talk… The world around his dizzy self was spinning faster and faster.

"I want that cock fucking me senseless…" she moaned before reclaiming his lips possessively.

Now that he simply couldn't ignore… he wouldn't have the strength to ignore it. He was a man after all, a very horny man who desired this woman since like forever. He had known sex with her would be earth shattering but that was exceeding all his expectations. Meredith seemed to completely drop her inhibitions. She was wild, unrestrained, porny, dirty… What the hell was he waiting for?

He entered her with a one smooth move. And stilled. First, because he wanted to relish the mind-blowing feeling of being closely enveloped by her walls. Second, because she let out such an animalistic sound he initially thought he hurt her. Not quite… He watched with wide fascinated eyes as she trembled uncontrollably biting on her lip, her chest rising and falling spastically, her vaginal muscles squeezing the length of his member like there was no tomorrow… She was having an orgasm! He barely entered her, God he was better than he imagined…

She was beautiful in the throes. She was beautiful all the time, but there was a breathtaking quality about her when she surrendered herself to the carnal pleasure. The glint in her emerald unseeing eyes. The rosy blush that spilled on her cheeks and her décolletage. The thin sheen of sweat appearing on her tanned freckled body. She was a goddess. And he needed to get his bearings together to make her feel even better.

Derek was not the only one taken by surprise with her orgasm. Actually no one was more surprised than Meredith herself. His penis hardly made it inside her when she was pushed over the edge. But apparently, the foreplay that lasted since his arrival at Rachel was more than enough. She didn't have a man for three and half years; and such a big one as Derek? Probably never. Pain mixed with pleasure as he pushed into her, accidentally triggering her small release.

She wasn't even finished when he started to thrust rhythmically, thoroughly, pulling almost all the way out and sliding deep in with ease assured by her juices. One of his hands crawled under her t-shirt and pushed her bra cup aside to palm her sensitive breast. She pressed herself into him like a cat seeking caresses. He was so good with his hands, at least in that department. She couldn't vouch for the OR. And thank God they weren't in one now.

She hooked her legs around his waist to lift herself up to meet him and they both groaned at the new depth of their connection. Suddenly their eyes met. Their regards clashed, wild, surprised, lustful. They stay locked while they continued to have sex, telling each other what they needed, how they needed it…

Their hips kept meeting faster, deeper, harder… until she once again was blown over with the force of her orgasm. He thrust into her a couple of forceful times more before spilling his sweet release into the condom.

He deposited her back on the table not able to trust his legs, panting heavily. For a long while, they weren't capable of moving. Both the sexual pleasure and the fact they experienced it together were overwhelming their senses.

"Have we just…?" he breathed out pulling away enough to look at her face.

"Yeah, I guess so," she sighed and he detected a trace of nervousness in her voice.

"Meredith?" he called her as she got to her feet bending to the floor for her panties and shorts.

"Yeah?" she looked at him zipping her fly and cracking a smile at his state of undress. He was still naked from the waist down.

"What does this mean?"

"I… don't know," she replied sincerely and picked up her toolbox.

"Was that a payment for repairing the drain?" he quipped. "If yes, I'd like you to have a look at one in the bathroom."

She let out a laugh. "I'm meeting Cristina for breakfast, you'll have to take care of your drain alone," she smirked. "See you at the practice?"

"We can have breakfast together…"

"Derek… I'm going to have a little freak-out right now," she smiled walking out. "It's best if you're not around to witness that."

And then she was gone leaving him standing against the table, the condom slipping a little from his flaccid penis. Did that just happen? He passed a shaky hand through his already messy hair. Did Meredith Grey, with whom he had been in a state of constant war since day one, come to his home, repair his sink and fuck him on his table?

It must have been the truth. His brain wouldn't be able to conjure such an intense and mind-blowing fantasy. He had never experienced an equally powerful orgasm. Maybe she had a super vagina? Or maybe she was simply important to him. She was that important to him that he was now actually worried about what was going to happen now. He didn't want her to pull away, to start avoiding him. He well remembered her reaction to their first kiss. She jumped out into a raging storm…

Meanwhile, Meredith trotted to her car almost bumping into Miranda who was getting back home with a bag of groceries.

"Oh, hey," Meredith greeted her nervously. "How're you doing?"

"Not as good as some, it seems," quipped Miranda scanning Meredith's appearance and the toolbox in her hand.

Meredith flushed feeling like she couldn't hide anything from her friend.

"Making house calls, Dr. Grey?"

"I… uhm, I gave Derek a helping hand with the drain," she explained quickly.

"I bet," said Miranda with a knowing voice.

"I… gotta run," Meredith sent her a nervous apologetic smile and jumped into her jeep.

"Someone owes me my bet winning, yup, someone does," Miranda sing sang entering her house.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Fifteen minutes later Meredith was sitting at a table in the inn, opposite her best friend. She was just realizing the full impact of what transpired between her and Derek in his kitchen. She hadn't felt that panic immediately after her orgasm. Now it hit her double. Thankfully, food helped. She was currently stuffing herself with her third sandwich.

"What did you do?" Cristina asked looking at her as if she grew a second head.

"I didn't do anything," Meredith managed to say through her full mouth. "Why would you think I did something?"

"Because you're eating like a pig," Cristina didn't bother to be delicate. "You always act as if you were starving but that's beyond normal even for your standards."

"Okay, fine," Meredith threw her sandwich onto the plate unceremoniously. "Just don't make a big deal of this, okay?"

"Okay?" Cristina said halfheartedly.

"I've just had sex," she sighed.

Cristina's mouth hung open, her eyebrows were so high they could run away any second altogether.

"That… would explain the appetite," she quipped. "With whom? Shepherd?"

"Whom else?" Meredith rolled her eyes.

"Last week I'd say anyone else."

"That was last week..." Meredith shrugged a little. "He's grown on me."

"Like a tumor?" quipped Cristina. She was bleeding inside as she just lost quite a lot of cash to Bailey but she needed to be supportive for her person who was just experiencing a major freak out attack.

"Exactly like a tumor," Meredith grumbled stirring her coffee. "He's with me everywhere and he's difficult to get rid of."

"Well, it doesn't look like you wanted to get rid of him judging by the fact that you have just had sex with him…" remarked Cristina innocently.

"It's so humiliating… I went there and threw myself at him…"

"So, was it good?"

Meredith nodded solemnly, her eyes becoming glazed once again. "Two," she mouthed.

"Nice," snickered Cristina. "And in the size department?"

Meredith grabbed a couple of mini croissants and lined them on her plate.

"You're one lucky bitch!"

"Am I really? What did I do, Cristina?"

"Uh, had an orgasm?"

"Well, exactly. It's… the first time since Mitch…"

"Exactly, Mer," Cristina argued heatedly. "Don't you think you're done wasting your life over some asshat?"

"I'm not ready, I'm not ready," she shook her head violently.

"You won't know if you don't try-"

"And frankly, this is Derek Shepherd we are talking about! The asshole that has been annoying the crap out of me!"

"Was he that annoying the last couple of days?" asked Cristina sneakily. "You let him kiss you, damn, you let him fuck you. You must like something about him."

"He's… he's attractive, I guess… He can be funny. He cares about the patients and he's a total klutz in this adorable way…" Meredith sighed audibly.

"And he has a big dick," added Cristina, deciding to ignore the sugar shock at Meredith's admission.

"Yeah, but I don't want to have-"

"I know I know, you don't want to have casual sex. You can call it a short term relationship. He's going to be out of here in less than two months anyway."

"Yes, he is…"

"Mer," Cristina looked her in the eye. "Maybe this is the way to repair your life. No one gets to judge how you do it. You make no excuses how you choose to repair what that asshole had broken."

"Don't I? What about Rachel?"

"Everyone wants you happy, Meredith. They're not going to judge."

"It's time for me," Meredith hurried to her feet.

"So soon? Someone waiting for you for a quickie before work?"

"You have a dirty mind, Cristina Yang. I just want to have a shower. You need to get a life."

"Who says I haven't already?" she smirked.

"What?" Meredith gasped. "You have someone? How is that I still don't know anything about it? Who is it?"

"No one you know," she shrugged. "We're just friends with benefits. You should take a page of my book."

Meredith walked out of the inn, her head swirling a little. Maybe Cristina was right. Maybe she should just leap. Maybe the weight of the last years would finally fall off her shoulders.

**A/N So, they did it. LOL But it won't be an easy ride. ;) I'm going to officially move the story to M rating so if you usually browse the main page you might want to add it to your alerts.**

**Please comment,**

**Em**


	16. Chapter 16: Nightlight

**A/N I am so sorry you had to wait for this update so long. :( I had very frustrating problems with my internet, then my laptop. They're still not over but I'll try to post as often as I can.**

**Hope you enjoy…**

When Meredith went downstairs, having taken her shower, Derek was already in the practice, chatting with Izzie.

"Morning," she announced her presence avoiding his eyes as she donned her lab coat.

"Morning, Mer."

"Morning. Again," he quipped.

She felt shivers run down her spine at the cockiness in his voice. It inadvertently took her to two hours earlier when they shared a screaming orgasm. She definitely shouldn't look at him.

"How was your breakfast?" he asked with amusement. Damn bastard, he was both teasing her and asking if her freak out was over. "A good day starts with a good breakfast. I had a very good one today… with a bit of interruption but still very good."

Izzie raised her eyebrows questioningly feeling something was slipping her attention.

"I… er, we've already seen each other today Iz-"

"Oh, yes, we have," grinned Derek cutting her midsentence. "Meredith helped me out with my morning problem.

Izzie's eyebrows rode even higher while her coffee mug hung midair.

"A pipe, Iz…" Meredith muttered in a random explanation while making wide warning eyes at him to shut the hell up. He got a chance to fuck her, what else did he want?

"A pipe…" repeated Izzie, the corner of her lip twitching.

"The drain from the sink in the kitchen!" rattled Meredith raising her voice. "It was blocked and I helped to unclog and… that's it…"

"Well, your help was invaluable," he declared with a smile.

"Okay…" Izzie frowned at them suspiciously. "Am I drunk or have I just stepped into a parallel dimension? You're… nice to each other. You're never nice to each other."

"Is it that much of a problem?" Meredith asked sourly. "Because we can yell at each other-"

"No! No! That's fine," Izzie assured her quickly. "I prefer fine, it doesn't give me a headache. I just need to get used to this sudden and very unexpected change."

"We are both… adults…" shrugged Meredith.

"Who do adult things," added Derek with a grin.

"Wow, it's getting dense with steam here," Izzie chuckled, getting to her feet. "I'm gonna get myself a glass of juice. You want something to cool down that fire?"

"Izzie! I could do without your running commentary!"

"That would be a no," Derek said apologetically.

"What the hell was that?" she threw at him as soon as the blonde nurse disappeared up the stairs.

"What was what?"

"Oh, don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about!" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ok, fine," he dropped the smile. "Do you want to pretend like this morning never happened? What, are you ashamed you had sex with me? I'm not up to the town's standards or what?"

"No, I don't want to pretend anything," she hissed with frustration. "What happened this morning… it happened. Because I wanted it. But that doesn't mean we're some happy couple on honeymoon. It also doesn't mean I want the whole town know the details of my sex life. A little bit of privacy is all I'm asking. Especially so as we're figuring the things out."

"Sorry, I was over the line," he sighed. "I just thought… that you were going to ignore me. I knew I'd get a reaction by infuriating you."

"We're not fifth graders, Derek," she rolled her eyes at him. "You don't pull on my braids to catch my attention."

"But it has worked just fine so far," he gave her a small smile and she couldn't help reciprocating it.

The first patient entered the practice and she shook her head at him, silently asking him to behave.

"Mrs. Lawson, come on in," she smiled at the woman leading her into her office. "What's the matter?"

"It's really nothing, it's just a tick," she waved her hand dismissively. "I wouldn't have troubled you at all if my son hadn't been so stubborn."

"Your son is right, Mrs. Lawson," sighed Meredith putting on a pair of latex gloves. "Ticks can carry dangerous diseases. Thankfully it doesn't look bad," she muttered inspecting her forearm.

"Told you," smiled Mrs. Lawson. "Anyway, how's the new doctor doing?"

"Er… he's adapting quite well I guess," Meredith answered nonchalantly, focusing her eyes on the job at hand.

"Chloe Bishop's family, mostly the female part, have been singing praises of him since the birthday party. He's quite a catch."

"Oh?" Meredith's eyebrows raised innocently.

"You look good together."

"What?" Meredith let out a gasp almost dropping the tick to the floor.

"Oh, sweetie, everyone has seen the way he looks at you," Mrs. Lawson grinned knowingly. "And you've been looking at him with a keener eye too, from what I saw today."

"He's working here, we can't shout at each other all the time," Meredith mumbled embarrassedly.

"Me and my first husband shouted at each other all the time…" she smiled wistfully. "But there were some real fireworks in bed afterwards. With my second husband, we were the most agreeable couple in the world… but the passion was not the same…"

"Okay…" Meredith felt the blush expanding on her cheeks. Yeah, there were some real fireworks between her and Derek, they didn't even make it past the kitchen.

"You'd have cute kids," Mrs. Lawson went on. "He has good stuff, genes of whatever you call it. After all, his family comes from here."

Oh, yeah. She knew, she saw the good stuff firsthand this morning.

"Mrs. Lawson, honestly," Meredith let out a short laugh. "Derek… Dr. Shepherd is here for two months. I really-"

"That's more than enough to make a baby," she winked. "I'm sure he would stay for a kid…"

Meredith mouth hung open in shock. Unbelievable… Did her patient just tell her to get knocked up in order to trap Derek in Rachel? She needed to pinch herself.

"You're all set to go," she cleared her throat instead.

Mrs. Lawson got to her feet with a sigh. "Ah, the young today… so unwilling to commit. If I was twenty years younger I wouldn't let such an occasion slip through my fingers."

She barely left when Meredith's forehead heavily collided with her desk. She was so screwed…

Since Izzie didn't yet come back from her lunch, Meredith went to the storage room to check the state of supplies herself. Their supplier from Vegas was toeing the deadline was once again. She really needed to look for another one, who didn't treat their less well off clients like shit. Suddenly, a pair of strong decisive hands closed around her waist.

She jumped around to see Derek trapping her in his arms, a crooked smile on his face. Her lungs constricted, his presence seemed to fill the whole tiny storage room. She was not surprised, he was very good at filling…

"You need something?" she breathed out.

"I… I think I need you…"

His admission both took her breath away and stirred up fear in her heart.

"Meredith, don't pull away," he pleaded feeling her body going rigid under his palms. So he did the only thing that came to his mind. He came after her to coax her into talking just as she had promised. He valued her friendship too much to lose her. He knew that if they didn't talk heart to heart soon, their sexy romp would become an elephant in the room.

But she had this glint in her eyes. Just like when they had kissed for the first time in the storm. He could see it in her eyes, something close to fear. And he panicked, lunging his lips to hers, engaging her in a drugging kiss. They practically didn't kiss this morning in his kitchen. It was like they were in heat, desperate to spend the sexual energy coiling in their bodies, mounting since the moment they met.

However, it was so not out of their systems. Not out of his system certainly. He wanted more than a quick fuck. Usually, it had been enough for him if he met a woman that caught his attention. Not with Meredith. He was far from drinking his fill of her. It should scare him, it should scare the shit out of him. He had never wanted a woman this way. And yet, it filled him with a strange calmness. They only thing that marred the picture was the anxiety that she would run away screaming.

There was so much about her he yearned to discover, explore. Her body held so many secrets still to unravel. How she looked in the nude, what made her moan and writhe in pleasure, it remained a mystery he had to solve.

Breaking in through her soft lips, his tongue entered her mouth to stroke its sweet recesses, mate with hers, imprint himself on her.

"Der…" his name fell from her lips in the form of a moan when he redirected his attention to her neck. His cognitive functions were shutting down fast as the violent tugs on his hair spurred his passion.

"Meredith…" he panted. "I'd normally be game for all sex and no talk but… not with you…"

"Why not with me?" she breathed out.

"Because you're special…" he confessed looking her deep in the eye.

That was probably not what he wanted to achieve right now but she couldn't resist throwing her arms around his neck and reclaiming his mouth possessively. With a growl, his hands moved from her ass to grip her thighs and lift her up, as light as a feather. Her legs hooked around his waist bringing him shamelessly close to her already hot core. He buckled against it impatiently, hardening instantly. Damn, they were really in heat.

"Oh, God…" her sweet moan filled his ears as they kept grinding against each other.

"Condom?" he managed to asked hopefully.

"Supply room, Derek," something between a moan and a chuckle escaped her throat and she groped around the shelves. "Supply room… condom… yeah…" She couldn't utter a full sentence as her mind was focused on one thing only – his big member stretching her deliciously just like this morning.

But that was not meant to happen, at least not now…

"Dr. Shepherd, Meredith!" Izzie's impatient shriek sounded over their moans and groans. They halted abruptly, their hearts beating like mad. "Sorry to interrupt! Mer, I understand you're taking care of, uhm, Dr. Shepherd's afternoon problem," Izzie didn't even try to hide her amusement, "but… you either… you either come or come out this instant. Mrs. Jordan is royally pissed that I'm keeping her outside without a reason!"

"Shit!" Meredith cursed under her breath, banging her head against the wall in frustration.

"Exactly," he sighed letting her down to her feet while she readjusted her clothing trying to groom it to a more respectable state.

"I'm… gonna go," she mumbled apologetically.

"Yeah," he nodded leaning against the wall, his two arms outstretched while he waited for the tension in his body to disperse. He looked at her imploringly, "Later?"

After a brief hesitation she answered, "Later." She was not going to kid herself. If they found themselves in a situation like that again, alone, their bodies so close, they would go at it again, any reasonable thought flying out of the window.

She quickly left the small room closing the door behind her and was met with Izzie's full-fledged smirk. "So…"

"So?" Meredith looked at her challengingly.

"So how long have you been taking care of Dr. Shepherd's problems?"

"How long have you been perving on other people?" Meredith bit back sourly.

"I was not perving!" she laughed. "Trust me I would have to be totally deaf not to hear you two. You're kinda loud."

Meredith blinked. Loud? They didn't even get naked…

"Mer? I'm really happy for you," Izzie's face expressed nothing but happiness for her friend.

"Happy about what, Iz?" sighed Meredith. "That I'm one the best way to become a philandering whore?"

"No, that you're taking your life in your hands. You're long overdue, if not for love, then for fun. And… he's fun."

"It's… certainly not love," snorted Meredith. "Fun? I don't know. I don't know what it is. I can count on your discretion, right?"

"You don't need to ask. But you know you won't be able to keep it quiet for long… literally," the blonde wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Nor this one," remarked Meredith as Mrs. Jordan started to thud on the door once again. "Hello? What is going on in there?"

_If I only knew__ …_ she sighed inaudibly.

Derek was pulled away from an article in the online edition of Journal of Neuroscience by a soft knock on the door to his office. Theoretically the workday was over but he didn't feel like going home at all. For various reasons. He had a computer here, he could catch up with the real world. He didn't want to go back to the big lonely house where he would get hard just looking at the kitchen table… And he still hoped that maybe he and Meredith would have that much needed conversation.

The door opened and Meredith peeked inside holding a jug and two glasses. "Hey, I've got cold lemonade. You want some?"

"Sure, thanks." Not that he was particularly thirsty. But he knew it was a pretext. Meredith tried to initiate their talk in a light way.

She took a chair in front of his desk, directly from across him and for once, he was grateful for the distance. They would have unavoidably jumped at each other again had it not been for the piece of furniture separating them. And even though he'd absolutely love to jump Meredith again, it was imperative they explained a thing or two.

"So-"

"I-"

They spoke at the same time, their words mingling together.

"You go first," he nodded.

"No, you," she shook her head.

"Thank you for coming," he said gratefully.

She giggled over her glass of lemonade. "Sorry, porny thoughts," she announced unabashedly breaking the tension.

He flashed her a smile. "Thank you for every time you came."

"That was my pleasure," she quipped and they shared a laugh. When she sobered up she said, "You said things, Derek. That I'm not just a good lay."

"You're not. I mean apart from being a good lay, you are… I can't even explain it. You're fascinating, you're enthralling. You constantly challenge me, you make me feel the need to better up."

"I'm sorry."

"Haven't you heard you're fascinating part?" he smiled. "And I love what you're doing to me, giving me a push forward. It's like I'm finding a new me thanks to you."

"Okay," she nodded pensively. "That's okay… that is okay, Derek. Because… I… I don't want to be used. I can't let that happen to me again," she admitted painfully.

"One-night stands?" he asked.

"No, not one-night stands," her voice shook ever so slightly but he picked it up with ease.

"Oh, my god, Meredith, were you-"

"No, I wasn't raped if that's what you thought," she sighed. "Some three and a half years ago… I was engaged three and a half years ago."

That was one of the last things he expected to hear from her. Meredith was engaged? His stomach was tied up in painful knots as his mind fabricated a silhouette of a man holding Meredith in his arms. It was irrational to be jealous of her past relationships. He berated himself immediately. Obviously that story didn't end up well for her.

"That's why you said you're scary and damaged?" he asked with all the gentleness he could muster, hiding all the plain curiosity from his voice.

"Yes, it… broke me, all of me," she said dejectedly. That note of bitterness that sometimes insinuated itself into her voice of her eyes struck again.

"There was another woman?" Derek couldn't believe there was a man in this world that could betray a woman like Meredith for someone else. It didn't make sense. No member of the fairer sex was remotely close to garnering his attention since he laid his eyes on her.

"No. I wish it had been," she confessed surprising him.

"A man?" his eyebrow quirked curiously.

"No!" she burst out in laughter and he exhaled with relief. He was afraid that maybe he pushed too hard.

Too soon amusement vanished from her beautiful features. "I don't talk about it. It's… painful. And humiliating."

He drew a shaky breath. Again, he might be going too far but he needed to know… "Do you… do you love him?"

She let out a snort with filled with that bitterness that worried him more and more. "No, I loved the image of him. He wasn't real…"

"Mer… I'm… I'm the first man you let to touch you since then, am I?"

She fixed her eyes on his in a way she hadn't had before, a cold penetrating stare. But her expression soon softened and she nodded her head. "I didn't ask for this."

"I didn't either…" he sighed.

Her eyebrow rose skeptically, "You're trying to tell me you didn't want to sleep with me?"

"Oh, I did," he nodded simply. "Of course, I did. What I didn't expect are the feelings. I care for you."

"Oh, so you want to go on with the knowing each other thing?" she asked nervously.

A nod of his head.

"And the sex thing?"

Double nod.

"What's the point though? You're leaving in two months."

"I am. But that doesn't change the fact that we can be friends."

"With benefits?" she asked amusedly.

"No," Derek grimaced somewhat. "It sounds so… crude. What we have is more than that. We can help each other."

"Before you offer anything like that you should know… I don't talk about myself. So… I would like to know you but there are some things I don't share. I just… I don't want to rake it all open."

"I understand. I'm not going to force you, I don't want to do that. You'll share with me only want you want to share with me," he assured her softly, reaching a hand towards her across the desk, his palm up.

"You sure?" she asked quietly eyeing his open hand.

"Definitely."

"So, we'll be… friends or whatever… for two months? No hard feelings afterwards?"

"Exactly. Meredith?" he cocked his head expectantly.

His lips stretched in a full-blown smile when she insinuated her smaller hand into his at long last.

"Okay."

"Okay."

"So," she grinned. "Dr. Shepherd, do you have an evening problem for me to take care of?"

"Actually, I do," he leaned back in his chair watching her avidly as she stood up and walked around the desk to him, their hands still connected. "And there's that afternoon problem that's still unsolved…"

**A/N Comments?**

**Love,**

**Em**


	17. Chapter 17: Stay The Night

**A****/N I'm sorry I've made you wait yet again. I'll really try to post as often as I can. Hope you still enjoy!**

**Warning: mature content!**

"Is there a scarlet letter on your chest already?" Derek quipped looking at Meredith intently.

A couple of days passed since their talk during which they reached a certain agreement but she was still very reluctant to show up with him in public. Right now they were walking by the main road to Cristina's inn for lunch and he could clearly see she was tense, and not good tense. Her eyes were roving sending sideways glances at everyone they passed.

"Because I can take it off your chest," he continued humorously. "I can take it all off your chest."

"I bet you can," she giggled, relaxing her shoulders a little. "But there's no scarlet letter. We're not like that. We don't judge."

"We?" he raised his eyebrow. "You mean they?"

"I mean we. I live here, this is my place. I belong here. I'm not suddenly an outsider because we have this thing going."

"Okay? So why are you so stressed out that we're walking together?"

"Derek, no one would judge me if they knew we're… having sex," she said lowering her voice. "It's just… they would know."

"They would know?"

"They would know we're doing… something…" she finished lamely.

"And that would make us more concrete, wouldn't it?" he probed gently. "It's not really about what they think. It's about how you'd see us through their eyes. It's not going to change a thing, Meredith."

"I'm starting to think I preferred you as an insensitive idiot," she grumbled, shying her eyes away from his so he didn't see he was right.

"So not true," he chuckled. "You dig me anyway."

"Thanks, Derek. That's just what I meant," she gasped with a smile.

"So, tell me," he began with a self-satisfied tone. "What about sleepovers?"

"Sleepovers?" she frowned.

"Well, that's a chiefly technical term as I don't see a lot of sleep for us."

"You want to stay for the night?" she asked, suddenly nervous.

"Or you stay for the night," he shrugged. "Same difference. I want to finally see you naked."

"You've seen me naked," she hissed so he was the only person to hear.

"Bits and pieces. I want to see all of you…"

"We can," she cleared her throat feeling the scorching heat of his gaze on her skin, "make the quickie less quick..."

"I don't want a quickie in the office… Okay I do. But I want much more. I want to cum with you all night long in every way it's humanly possible," he declared heatedly, his voice as sensual as silk.

"All night long?" she choked. He knew how to work on her. The graphic imagery was already dancing before her eyes. Every way it was humanly possible…

She carefully avoided his regard pretending she was watching the store windows that they walked by. That was until she passed her patient from a few days back, Mrs. Lawson. The frisky lady sent her and Derek a knowing look and a discreet wink in Meredith's direction.

The latter kept her mouth firmly shut but her cheeks covered in red.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"This is a nice change," Derek remarked with a surprised contentment as Cristina served lunch to both Meredith and him.

"A person who gives my person multiple screaming orgasms is welcome here," quipped Cristina pulling another chair and sitting down with them.

"Cristina!" Meredith hissed at her seeing Derek's grin widen.

"However," Cristina's good-natured expression transformed into a scowl, "if you're gonna screw with her, and I don't mean a good kind of screwing, well, you'll be screwed. Big time."

"I'll keep that in mind," he nodded, one eyebrow quirked up, while he poured the seasoning over his salad. Meredith couldn't help staring a little. That half amused half-skeptical face of his was so sexy…

"Meredith, stop drooling, please," Cristina berated her. "It's not exactly elegant."

Meredith shot a glare. "And you're not my freaking mother."

Her best friend only shrugged her shoulders. "You don't have one anyway."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Derek said with a serious face.

"For what?"

"I didn't know your mother was dead."

"My mother's not dead," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Just… not on speaking terms…"

"Oh?"

"I don't wanna talk about her. Why are we even talking about my mother?"

"Er, because you started the topic," Cristina quipped and turned her attention to Derek. "So, Derek, if I may call you that, do you have a secret wife? A ring stashed in your wallet?"

"No," he laughed.

"A hot girlfriend in Prada shoes back in NY?"

"No."

"A boyfriend?"

"That's another no. And I thought you'd know that since you've heard about the multiple orgasms already."

"Better safe than sorry."

"I'm not here to hurt your best friend," he answered soberly. "Quite the opposite."

"And you're a neurosurgeon… Interesting…"

"I'd say more but I'm pretty sure Mer would be after my head if I said New York again," he chuckled.

"Where did you go to med-school?" Cristina's interrogation wasn't over.

"Columbia."

"Oh, I thought maybe Harvard…?" she said innocently and only Meredith could pick up the undertones.

"No, New York… well, New York through and through," he shot a grin at Meredith. "Where did you go to med school?"

"That would be… not Columbia," Meredith answered sourly.

"That I know, I would have remembered." His eyes swept her body up and down.

"I doubt it," she grinned. "You're old."

"I'm not old, I'm thirty-five," he sulked. "And come to think of it, I don't even know your specialty."

"Yes, Meredith, what's your specialty?" Cristina asked eagerly.

Meredith stared at her with wide eyes and sent her a kick under the table.

"Ouch!" Derek winced in pain bending down to rub his leg.

"Oh, I'm sorry, thought something was creeping up my calf. You sure, it's sanitary here, Cris? It felt like a big bug," she said narrowing her eyes at her.

"Shut up, bitch! My place is spotless! You want to engage your McDreamy in some foreplay, do it somewhere else!" she smirked at her.

"McDreamy-?"

"That was not foreplay!"

"You want to have sex here but you don't want to go to my place?"

"Why don't you want to go to his place?"

Meredith stood up abruptly throwing her fork onto the table. "You're annoying! Both of you. You can stay and have sex together if that's all that you think about!"

"Ugh, no thanks," Derek muttered and hurried after her.

"Hey! I'm not that bad!" called Cristina already starting to clean up the table. She smiled watching through the window as Derek already started to chat her person up and she couldn't help cracking a smile. So far everything went good. The cocky surgeon with overly moussed hair seemed to be just what she needed to see some light in her life, even if she had to be pushed a little along the way.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"See you tomorrow, guys. Have fun," Izzie winked at them and hurried out of the practice where Alex was waiting for her in his car.

"You see, you have her blessing," Derek grinned taking off his lab coat.

"Her blessing for what?"

"For a sleepover at my place of course," he grinned encouragingly.

"I don't remember Izzie saying anything like that. She only mentioned fun. And… we can have fun here," she patted the counter with a smirk.

"We already have. Now I want some fun in bed," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Think about it, at least… ten uninterrupted hours of fun."

"What if a patient needs me?" she bit her lip, feeling more and more drawn to the prospect of a night together than she would like.

"My uncle didn't live in here yet he still could treat his patients just fine. It's an excuse, Meredith. You know it, I know it," he sighed putting a stray strand of her behind her ear tenderly. "I'm not gonna push you. I said I wouldn't and I'm gonna keep my word. But don't lie to yourself, okay?" he smiled and leaned to press a kiss to her lips that lasted to short for her liking. "See you tomorrow?"

She stood alone in the empty lobby feeling more and more like a fool. Her behavior was irrational. They already had sex, lots of it. What difference would it make to move it to the actual bed where the majority of population engaged in such a form of physical activity?

She streaked upstairs and grabbed her overnight bag stuffing in some clothes and her toothbrush haphazardly. After a briefest of hesitations, she jumped into her jeep. It would be a telltale sign she stayed at Derek's house, she knew it. It would cause a storm in Rachel teapot. She decided not to think of it. As Cristina put it, she wasn't going to make excuses for how she chose to glue her life back together.

She smiled as she saw Derek around a road turn, walking at a leisurely pace, as if enjoying the view. She slowed down when she caught up with him.

"You need a ride, cowboy?" she shouted through the open window coming to a stop.

His face lit up with a surprised smile as he leaned against the door. "You're going in the same direction, Miss?"

"Very same," she beamed and took her bag aside freeing the passenger seat.

"What about appearances?" he teased climbing in.

"Sex trumps appearances," she shrugged and pulled off.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Taking advantage of the fact he was still downstairs Meredith lay on the bed trying to strike a graceful pose. She pushed her long hair down on one side and then the other, crossed and uncrossed her legs. Should she cover herself? It would be presumptive not to… but it was a damn hot night! Maybe she shouldn't have put on that nightie… Yes, she definitely should have worn her normal pajamas…

She heard him hop up the stairs and she tried once again to appear poised and relaxed. Not for very long. Derek entered the room clad only in his boxers and unceremoniously threw the box of condoms onto the nightstand.

"My, aren't you subtle," she quipped arching one of her eyebrows. Subtle or not, her channel pulsed at his self-assuredness. The way the muscles of his nicely developed bare torso flexed in movement had a share too.

"Mhm," he hummed as he appraised her from her golden hair to her dainty foot. What was that woman doing to him? He was hardening just at the mere sight of her. Mere? No, it wasn't. It was spectacular. She was reclined on his bed, one of her legs bent, making her nightie pool at her hip. The nightie, black satin… He grazed his lower lip with his thumb. Who would have thought Meredith had such a thing in her closet. But, as he vividly remembered, she was also the owner of that enticing black dress she had on herself the night of the date fiasco.

"What?" she asked suspiciously.

"You're gorgeous."

She felt herself melt under his stormy half-lidded eyes that roved all over her body and the dreamy smile. She became even more inarticulate when he took his boxers down with one swift move. She could finally admire him in all his glory. And there was a LOT to admire, especially under that patch of black hair, even when he was semi-hard.

"Your turn," he pointed at her taking his member in his hand

"My turn?" she blinked as her throat went a little dry.

"Get it off."

Meredith jumped to her knees and pushed Derek's hand aside enveloping his growing length with her palms.

"I meant your nightgown," he gasped. "But that works too."

"Can do both," she grinned throwing her nightie over her head and pressing her breasts to his abdomen.

"Oh, God," he moaned, all the muscles in his body tensing up. "I knew you were dirty. Since I saw you for the first time."

"Is that so?" she purred sliding her chest down against him taking his cock back into her hands.

"I can see the dirty in your eyes," he smirked.

"Maybe…" she replied saucily and not taking her eyes off of his, closed her lips around the engorged velvety tip of his penis. She meticulously lapped around it tasting the precum.

"God, you're…"

"I'm what?" she teased taking her mouth off him with an audible pop.

"I was going to say fantastic," he panted. "But since you stopped-"

He didn't even finish the sentence when her tongue was on him again, licking, teasing. Pressing little kisses. He watched with fascination as she took him slowly into her mouth. This had to be karma. He didn't feel bad anymore over the disastrous first week here. He was now in porny heaven. There was no other way to describe it when she sucked hard on his member and her fingers played with his tensed balls. But he didn't want to come like that just yet. He had had a plan of exploring all the secrets of her luscious body, making her mindless with pleasure.

Her swollen lips asked with surprised when he gently pushed her head off his hardness, "Aren't you enjoying it?"

"You know I am," he chuckled and pushed her back onto the mattress. "But I have something else in mind for now…"

He finally joined her on the bed slightly lifting one of her legs.

"Derek," she tried not to sound wary. It wasn't like she was afraid of sex. She was afraid of giving in to the other person, to abandoning herself to the other person.

"Relax," his eyes twinkled at her mesmerizingly. "Trust me."

Trust him? She could enjoy all his attention, all the wonderful things he was doing to her body because she was long overdue for these things. But she was never going to trust another man. Ever. Not in a romantic relationship. She did it once and it destroyed her.

But it was so hard to think straight with Derek fluttering kisses to the hill of her foot, trailing them over her ankle, the inner side of her calf to her thigh, purposefully bypassing her heated core. He playfully bit into her hip eliciting a frustrated gasp out of her.

She writhed feeling his hot, such a hot, tongue leaving a damp path on her skin up her abdomen, making circles around her navel and dipping into her belly button to travel straight like an arrow to the crevice between her full globes.

Oh, this felt good, so good… He moaned delectably as he moved his weight over her, hovering above her, their bodies grazing sensuously. That was just where he wanted to be from day one. And he felt he wouldn't mind staying atop of her for the rest of his life. Oh, yes, the rest of his life between these babies seemed very appealing. He grinned dreamily kissing her right breast and then the left one, diving his head for her perky nipple.

"Condom!" she panted feeling the hard member insinuate itself between her thighs naturally. "Condom! Don't wanna be pushing a stupid boy penis with perfect hair through my vagina in nine months!"

She shoved him to a sitting position to grab for the box.

"The odds are it wouldn't be a stupid boy penis," he teased feeling oddly exhilarated at the sudden topic. "I have four sisters, you have two."

"I don't want to test that theory in practice," she shrugged and impatiently helped him roll the condom.

He scooted back up, intent on continuing their foreplay but he was too far-gone, his cock was too close to her slick opening. And she was ready, she was always so ready.

He sank into her uttering a moan of relief, her body arching up in pleasure to meet his. Oh yes, this was porny heaven… He closed his eyes savoring the tight feel of her around him. That was why he felt a little disoriented, he realized when he opened them again and noticed he was looking up at the ceiling. Taking advantage of his momentary spacing out, she had skillfully reversed their positions, with him still deep inside, even deeper now.

"Mer…"

She smirked at him as she raised and lowered her hips, impaling himself on him over and over again. he watched with amazement as she pleasured them both with her ride. Her lips were constantly parted desperately taking air and moaning. Her skin was covering in a slick sheen of perspiration. Her boobs jumped madly with her every bounce and when she lifted her hands to scoop her long hair to her head he was close to losing it.

He tried to flip them back to the original position but she grasped the wooden headboard and continued to ram onto him as if nothing happened. He gripped her hips and pushed up in order to increase the friction. It wasn't long before he was rewarded with the spectacle of her orgasm. That was why he so enjoyed to hold on until she was finished with her own release. In the midst of the sexual pleasure she was unable to keep her defenses up, she let it all go – studious expressions, guarded words. She was free in her orgasm.

Only when she started to spiral down, did he allow his body to follow her, his cock twitching with pleasure inside her as she sank onto him breathing hard.

"You know, I don't hate you, if you've wondered," she mumbled into his shoulder after a few minutes they lay spent, basking in the afterglow.

His chuckles made her jump on his stomach. "I kinda guessed after all the orgasms…"

"Just… thought you should know," she shrugged. "You're likeable… on a closer look."

"Thank you," he grinned pressing his lips to her temple. "You're likeable too. From every angle."

She lifted her chin from the strong plane of his chest, "You wanna go again?"

**A****/N As always, I'd love to hear from you!**

**Em xxxxx**


	18. Chapter 18: Top Of The World

**A/N Hello again! Thank you, as always, for your kind words. **

**I know you all want Meredith to open up to Derek (as well as to you ;) about her past, but what happened to her in New York broke her. She had deep trust issues and with good reason. I'm sure you'll agree when you learn her secret.**

**For now, let's watch their relationship develop. Please, enjoy!**

**Again, I must warn you about the mature content!**

Derek sat behind the counter usually occupied by Izzie and swung from side to side. His eyes, however, were unchangeably fixed at one point. Meredith. She was currently chatting with some uptight looking woman on the steps of the practice.

A pout and a frown marred his face since this morning. And they were caused by no other than Meredith Grey. He had learnt new things about her last night, very pleasurable things for sure. However, he also saw firsthand that she was an absolute control freak. They had come several times. He had come several times. But never on top.

It certainly turned him on. He loved the bossiness. What was even more important, Meredith looked amazing riding him, slow or fast – it didn't matter. Her long hair swayed around her when she moved. Her full breasts bounced mesmerizingly. And when she arched her back in pleasure, her mouth desperately catching air… She gave him amazing blow jobs too, he would be a fool to complain.

And yet. After three rounds of sex, which always ended with him on his back, he saw a pattern. She never let him finish off putting her in a more submissive position.

"So, that was Charlotte King from the tourist office," Meredith explained stopping to lean against the counter. "She says we can expect more than a thousand people for the season opener."

She frowned a little when he didn't reply and continued to sit, laid back, observing her with a puzzling expression.

"You know what the season opener is, right?" she went on. "The great march to the border of the Area 51. That's the military polygon."

He silently cocked his head the other way, his eyes fixed on her.

"Okay," she tucked her hair behind her ears. "Just so you know, that march is in a week, it's gonna be a busy time. You need to know what to expect. We… or at least one of us has to go with the march to assure medical aid. It's much like paramedics stuff."

She squinted at him. What was wrong with him? Normally he never shut up. "So I can go, because I went every time since I came here- Seriously, what is wrong with you?"

"I wanna be on top," he said simply.

"You what?" she frowned.

"Me, you, horizontal mambo, I wanna be on top."

Meredith burst out laughing. "Oh, you're serious," she remarked noticing he didn't join in. "What, you didn't enjoy me being on top?"

"Of course, I enjoyed it, multiple times," his eyes crawled over her lazily, stopping at the level of her breasts. "Dirty bossy thing going on? Don't get me wrong, I like it."

"Then what's the problem?" she shrugged.

"But you know, me as a male of the species-"

"Understood," she smirked, quirking her eyebrow. "But not gonna happen."

"What?" he gasped disbelievingly. "Why?"

"Because as you said I've got this dirty bossy thing going on," she looked at him with all the smugness she could muster. "And I don't share my power."

"Oh, come on-"

"You wanna be between these legs ever again or not?"

"I wanna be back up!" he pouted.

"You're not gonna be back up," she crossed her arms over her chest. "Now, yes or no?"

They stared at each other, as if struggling for power, until Derek relented throwing his head back against the chair, "Okay, fine, yes."

Meredith didn't even try to contain her gloating as she hung off her lab coat on a rack.

"You're going somewhere?" he sighed.

"Yeah, to the Ramirez' ranch, have some vaccinations to do."

"I'm going with you," he got to his feet and followed her to the storage room.

"You sure you want to? I'm going to vaccinate cows, not people," she chuckled.

"Oh, well, fine, I still want to go."

"What, you wanna prove to me you're the male of the species? So tough and strong-"

"That's enough," he interrupted sourly.

"Ooh, someone had his ego taken down a peg or two."

"My ego is just fine," he grumbled.

"Of course it is. And if you want to keep this set of clothes just fine, I propose we make a stop at your place so you can change into those jeans that I left you. You don't need to look elegant for the cows," she snickered.

"Right," he agreed. How could he not? He seemed to be reduced to agreeing with her.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Aren't you a big boy!"

Derek watched with surprise as Meredith cooed to a baby held by his mother. He hadn't seen this Meredith yet, a giggling and cooing and smiling at little babies Meredith.

"And he's getting so strong too," said Mrs. Ramirez. "Like he didn't come too early at all."

"Miguelito started to push his way into the world three weeks before the due term," Meredith explained to Derek. "I was just getting back from the ranch when you jumped in front of my jeep in the storm."

"Then I'll say he had very good timing," he smiled giving her a long look.

"It's Dr. Shepherd, right?" Mr. Ramirez held out his hand to shake his appraising his look. "I've seen you couple of times in town. I almost didn't recognize you in these clothes."

"Oh, I didn't recognize myself either," Derek cleared his throat while Meredith rolled her eyes discreetly. She knew he was in a sour mood. Partly because of the sex thing, partly because of the casual clothes. Next time she'd just let him ruin another pair of designer slacks. Why would she care about his wardrobe?

"But you're a spitting image of your father," Mr. Ramirez went on.

"Really? You knew my father?" Derek asked eagerly as he led them to an enclosure a little further off.

"As a kid, yeah. How is he? He hasn't been home for years."

"He's a… he's dead."

"Oh, please accept my condolences. It's hard to believe, he was always healthy as a horse. What did he die from?" Mr. Ramirez asked obtusely.

"It… was sudden," Derek answered evasively.

"Well, he was a good man. He helped to get me my first job."

"Oh?"

"Yeap, at his uncle's farm. It now belongs to the Stewarts."

Meredith trailed behind them, watching with a gentle smile as Derek devoured every word that came from Mr. Ramirez, looking as enthralled as though he was about to cut into the man's brain. It was good. Derek Shepherd might even feel at home for a second.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Mr. Ramirez left them both in the enclosure with his small herd when Meredith assured him it was fine if he had to go back to his other obligations. He had a family of eight to provide for after all and a whole ranch to look after.

"Why did you want to become a doctor?" Derek asked out of a sudden, leaning with his back against the wooden fence.

"What?" a small frown marred her forehead while she prepared the vaccinations.

"I always try to deny it but I went to med school because of my father," he sighed not waiting for the answer to his question.

"Was he sick?" Meredith's voice had nothing but gentleness in its tone.

"No," he cleared his throat. "He was shot in his store for his watch. In front of me and my sister…"

She tried not to let her shock show on her face. Derek witnessed his father's violent death. When he was just a kid. And he wasn't screwed up. He was full of life. Cocky and chatty.

"I always try to deny that but I went to med school because of my mother," she admitted. She decided truth would mean more than any words of comfort she could say to him. "I wanted to prove to her that I had it in me to be a- a doctor," she stuttered at the ending. "But that was her master plan all along I'm sure."

"You really make her sound as if she was dead."

"She's not. She's alive and well. Just not talking to me. Three… three years now."

"Oh, since you moved here," he easily made the connection as he observed her work.

"Yeah, she wasn't happy to hear her daughter was going to vaccinate cows, was she?" Meredith smiled preparing another syringe. "When I started med school I would laugh if someone told me my career would go this way. I wanted to change the face of medicine. Then life happened. And I'm here."

"Where you want to be?"

"Yeah," she sent him a full smile. "I want to be here."

"What about changing the face of medicine?"

"Who says I can't be doing it here?" she chuckled. "I think this place has made me a better doctor."

"I… eh… can I try?"

She blinked at him in surprise, "You want to vaccinate a cow?"

"What's wrong with it? My father could work on a ranch, I can do it. I've never said treating an animal was beneath me."

"You just acted like it," she quipped. "Are you sure?"

"I've been watching you closely. How hard can it be?" he shrugged. "I wanna learn something new."

"Fine," she nodded her head lightly. "Here, the gloves, the syringe, the vaccine. Do exactly what I did, I don't want any accidents. And don't panic."

"What accidents?" he frowned at her. "Why would I panic?"

"Because you're a city slicker. The most you're seeing of a cow is on a milk box."

"I'll be fine," he gulped. "I treat life threatening tumors, it's just a shot."

"Okay."

"Okay." Mimicking her earlier movements, he positioned the syringe above the shoulder of one of their patients.

"You're doing great," she said encouragingly.

"I haven't done anything yet," he rolled his eyes.

"Just thought you might need some cheering. You know, it's like flying solo for you or something," she chuckled.

"Why do I get this feeling again that you're mocking me?"

"Probably because I am."

"You can stop now. It's just making a shot for heaven's-"

The cow turned her head suddenly and he jumped back bumping into Meredith.

She couldn't stop the snort coming out of her mouth as they stumbled together.

"Stop. Laughing. At. Me." he gritted out.

"I'm not laughing at you," she giggled. "Okay, I am but seriously, you should have seen yourself. Real macho, Shepherd."

"Shut up, you're gonna pay for that."

"I'm looking forward to it," she quipped. "I think I should just finish this. I want to get back before the sunset."

"I said I'd do this!" he hissed.

"Fine, Mr. Brain Surgeon."

He narrowed his eyes at her and proceeded to make the vaccination, this time his movements being more purposeful and determined. He breathed out with relief when the cow didn't even flinch.

"Good job!" she patted him on the shoulder walking away to finish their task. "I see a future for you in veterinarian medicine, Dr. Shepherd!"

With her back to him, she didn't see the looks he was following her with, looks that promised to get back at her.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"You know, I kinda like that getting new experiences thing," Derek started conversationally as they packed up their kit and were making their way back, just the two of them.

"Oh, yeah?" she smirked. "Maybe I'll let you castrate a dog next time. That's even surgery."

"Funny," he grinned. "But I already know what I want to experience next."

Before she could retaliate, he grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her behind a shed, pressing her to the wall with his body. His hand immediately dived under her dress groping her thigh.

"Have I told you already that I love when you wear a dress?" he muttered into her mouth engaging her in a drugging kiss that effectively reduced the amount of oxygen going to her brain. "Such an easy access…"

She laughed throatily. "That's the new experience? Having sex against a farm building?"

"Having a roll in the hay…" he announced as he pulled her up by the thighs and threw her into a little heap of hay nearby.

"Someone might catch us!" she gasped even though her fingers were massaging his muscled back under his T-shit already and travelling to the fly of his jeans to free his raging erection. "The Ramirez have quite a brood."

"Please, it turns you on," he smirked as he dragged her panties from her legs, quickly rolled a condom on his hard cock and pushed himself between them. "You're a dirty little girl."

Several things happened at once. His mouth attacked hers again. His penis entered her hard and fast. She realized he wanted to have his way with her lying on her back. And she decided she was not going to give in. Dirty little girl? She was dirty, definitely. But she was far from being little. She was the one in control. Not the other way round.

When he thrust into her again, she squeezed her vaginal muscles as tight as she could. She smirked with satisfaction as he moaned, his face contorted in pleasure and effort. Taking advantage of his moment of weakness, she pushed herself off the ground with her feet so he landed on his butt with her on the lap. He tried to reverse their positions back but he was powerless when she willed her hips to work magic on his rock hard length. She circled figures of eight, sped up and slowed her movements, trapping him in occasionally.

"Oh, God…" His eyes rolled in his skull under the force with which she rode him. His plan backfired on him. He didn't have the resources to fight back and he didn't even want to at this point. He was at her feet. The only thing he could achieve right now was to make her come. His palms blindly found her twin globes under her dress and he tweaked them roughly, contributing both to hers and his own pleasure. He adored her breasts. So perfect, round and natural.

He had met a couple of woman who were very uninhibited about sex but none would be as unrestrained as Meredith to let him take her at the back of a shed, outside, in hay. Moreover, she was the one doing the taking really. And frankly, he had never wanted a woman to that level, so as just to initiate a sex act so recklessly, unreasonably.

He was losing another battle with her as she reached behind her and firmly grasped his testicles. He felt her hot breath on the side of his neck, "Be a good little boy and come for me, Derek…"

He groaned doing all that he could to prevent himself from exploding before her. He desperately took his hand of her boob and insinuated it between them to rub her clit.

"Ah! You're playing dirty," she purred. "But you won't win…"

She skillfully toyed his groin and resumed her powerful rides and all thoughts were gone from his brain as the orgasm took him whole. As if through the mist, he heard her triumphant 'Yes' and her walls clamped around him milking his seed.

"How was that about rolling in the hay?" she snickered, her breath coming in pants above him.

"Pretty damn good… but-"

"No buts," she put her finger on his lips. "You're not gonna be back up."

He slapped his forehead with a deep sigh.

"It's fun when you're trying though," she winked at him picking her panties from the hay.

He heaved himself up shaking his head, a face-hurting grin on his lips though. Yes, it was definitely fun.

**A/N As usual, I await your reviews. If you read and enjoy, please, let me know, as this is the signal for me to post. I'm mostly involved on another MerDer board and if I don't get response from here, I simply forget to post here…**

**Keep warm,**

**Em**


	19. Chapter 19: Morning, Noon And Night

**A/N Thank you for so many comments left after the previous chapter! **

**A new update for you today, which I hope brings a smile to your face. :)**

Meredith opened her eyes with a groan. She blinked in the darkness. It was much too early for her to wake up. It was quiet, both the alarm and their cell phones were quiet. Why was she awake?

Then she felt it. The discomfort, itchiness… that centered, as she realized with utter horror, on her ass. And not only her ass…

She broke free from under Derek's arm and quietly trotted to the bathroom expecting the worst. Blaming Derek was, of course, her first reaction. But he had only had head lice, and they had got rid of it! Moreover, she never noticed him itchy below the belt.

She switched on the light, waited a couple of seconds for her eyes to adjust and pulled down her boxer shorts. A groan escaped her throat. Rash, she had a terrible rash on her ass and her girl parts and as far as she could see twisting around and bending down, it was starting to blister. The only satisfaction was the fact that Derek was still very much to be blamed. He and his roll in the hay… Why, why did it happen to her? Why did Derek have to throw her panties in a heap containing poison oak which was virtually nonexistent in this part of the state?

Just as quietly, she made her way back to the bedroom and groped for her clothes in silence. She didn't even try to put on her panties, it would be panties of torture. Thank God, she wore a dress again yesterday, she only hoped there was none of the oil from the poison oak there.

She sent Derek's sleeping form a hateful look as he hummed peacefully and nuzzled his face into her pillow hugging it closely. Obviously he didn't get a rash on his stupid boy penis. Girls really had it harder in life…

She noiselessly sneaked out of the room, and down the creaking stairs. She breathed with semi relief when she started the engine. She hoped she wouldn't crash with all the wiggling her body was doing to find some comfort.

Izzie, she had to call Izzie. It didn't matter that is was four a.m.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Izzie!"

The blonde nurse jumped up in a state near to a heart attack as her boss shrieked her name. Izzie knew that kind of shriek, it never bode well, especially for people close to Meredith. What did the textbook say in the case of angry Meredith? Don't sound too cheerful, keep a mournful face, don't disagree.

"Iz! I called you hours ago!" she hollered. "I told you to be here three hours ago!"

"Oh, really?" Izzie looked at her apologetically. "I must have fallen back asleep. I was sooo tired, Alex stayed for the night-"

"Does it look like I care?" Meredith's shrill tones droned in her nurse's ears. "I needed your help, Izzie! Medical assistance! I still need it!" she groaned and plopped her head onto the counter, crossing and uncrossing her legs.

"Why didn't you say so?"

"I did!" she gritted out.

"Okay, okay," Izzie quickly put her lab coat. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"You could say so…" she muttered facing the counter. "Get calamine lotion, a steroids shot… and an ice pack."

"What for?"

"Izzie, I'm begging you!"

"Right!" Izzie nodded her head but before she could get to the supply room the door opened and Derek strode in with a boisterous good morning.

"Morning, Derek," Izzie's greeting was barely more than a whisper.

"Ugh," was all Meredith could muster as she straightened up and tried to look unassuming. Faking an orgasm would be easier than stopping herself from wiggling around. Not that she ever needed to fake orgasms with Derek, damn bastard…

"I woke up this morning and you weren't there," he pouted stopping beside her to press a kiss first to her cheek and then her lips. She moved her head before he had an occasion to deepen it. Her ass was itching like hell, his fault by the way, and he wanted more sex?

"Why didn't you wait for me?" he inquired, his eyes boring into hers.

"Work," she barked out.

"Busy morning? You should have woken me up. I could have helped."

"You've done enough," she hissed.

"Okay… You're not happy. Why aren't you happy?"

"Why can't you keep your damn nose out of my business?" she rounded on him, cradling her head in her hands as though it would help her with the pain in her private parts.

"Your business is my business," he argued softly.

"No, it's not!" she gasped. "We're just fuck buddies!"

"Oh, really?" he scowled, stung by her downplaying the importance of their relationship. "Then at least tell me what I did that was so horrible? Because you seem mad at me."

"You're everywhere! All the time! Morning, noon and night! Work, after work, in bed! I need some time for myself. Do you think you can stop hovering for a second? I am not your damn girlfriend! Never said I wanted to be so just stop treating me like one!"

He shook his head at her, his expression disbelieving. "You know, you got me thinking that we reached some kind of understanding. But I guess it's impossible with you," he no longer tried to control the volume of his voice. "Maybe you should get a psych assessment 'cause I'm sure like hell you're bipolar! You told me I'm Jekyll and Hyde? You should look in the mirror yourself, one minute you're… practically a nympho, the other a frigid queen!"

Meredith gasped narrowing her eyes at him. "You bastard, I didn't hear you complain yesterday when you were fucking me!"

"Uhm, Meredith?" Izzie cleared her throat behind her, stomping from foot to foot.

"I wish you had never come here!" Meredith went on. "You're just an unnecessary complication in my life!"

"I wish I hadn't come here either!"

"Meredith!" Izzie hollered over them. "I'm ready when you are!"

"Ready for what?" Derek asked eyeing the materials in Izzie's hands.

"Meredith-"

"Izzie's got a problem and asked me to help. Do you need to pry into everything?" Meredith snapped at him.

"No, forget I asked," he hissed. "I'm just the practice co-owner."

Meredith rolled her eyes and grabbed Izzie's hand dragging her into the procedure room at top speed leaving a very shocked Derek alone in the lobby.

"Mer, what's wrong with you? Why are you fighting with Derek?" Izzie inquired nervously as Meredith locked the door. "He was just being nice."

"You would be mad at Alex if you were in my place too!"

"But Derek-"

"Izzie, please!"

"Okay, okay, fine," Izzie sighed in defeat.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Look, you can't comment on it in any way, get it?" Meredith instructed Izzie when she was already in the stirrups.

"Okay, I get it. You can trust me."

"Just no laughing, no asking uncomfortable questions, no making wide eyes-"

"Meredith, it's already past nine! We have work, and my head is splitting in half already."

"Okay," Meredith took a deep breath and pulled the cover up.

"Good God, girl!" Izzie's eyes bulged out at what she saw between her legs. "It's… poison oak!"

"Yeah, I kinda got that myself," she panted, squirming on the bed.

"You've got some luck…"

"Yeah, that was my brilliant conclusion too… Am in pain here, Iz!"

"I'm getting to it," Izzie nodded putting on latex gloves. "How did you… you know?" she eyed her crotch questioningly.

"I had sex!" Meredith whimpered, her fingers grasping the edge of the table.

"Oh, and… Derek had poison oak on his…?" Izzie lowered her voice conspiratorially.

"What kind of stupid question is that? Do you see him howling like a girl or gripping his stupid penis? Unfortunately no!"

"Ugh, no, you're right. Stupid question."

"We've had… sex in the hay… His moronic idea!"

"Oh, so that's why you've virtually bit his head off?"

"Hello? It's his fault!"

"He dragged you into that hay by force?" Izzie quirked her eyebrow.

"That's not the point! Hey, where are you going? Get back here!" Meredith barked the orders seeing as Izzie stood up from her stool and moved to the door.

"I… I'll just give Derek the charts. It might take a while with… you know. Patients may show up early. Be right back."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Derek?" Izzie peeked into his office. "Can you come with me for a second?"

"What's up?" he sighed tiredly. "Are you okay?"

"I am," she grinned. "Meredith is not."

"Yeah, I noticed," he remarked sarcastically.

"Please, can you come with me?"

"If this is about her, you heard what she said. And I'm gonna do just that, I'm gonna mind my own business."

"Trust me, you wanna see this…" she pleaded. "Please…"

Derek gave her a long tired look.

"Okay, fine."

"Izzie? Are you gonna help me or not?" Meredith yelled as her insubordinate nurse reappeared in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, Mer," the blonde didn't even try to appear apologetic though. "I just can't stand it anymore. My ears are ringing. I have a splitting headache. I just want a pleasant work environment. And I'm doing it for your own good. Remember that, okay?"

"What?"

"I can't stand more lashing out. I just can't."

"Izzie? What did you do?" Meredith sat up on the table.

"Dr. Shepherd, the patient is all yours," Izzie pointed him into the room as she scurried out.

"You bitch!" Meredith called after her. "You're fired!"

"No, she's not," Derek argued coming in, his eyebrows raising curiously seeing her on the table, her legs in stirrups. "What's wrong with you?" Now it was worry etched on his face. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm not hurt," she gritted out though the itchiness intensified. She leaned back with a huff.

"You're… not pregnant, are you?" he glanced at her spread legs.

"No, I'm not pregnant, idiot!" she spat out. "You can't count now, oh wise one?"

"Why are you on this table then?" he rolled his eyes and moved closer with the clear intention of looking under the cover.

"Don't you dare!" she shrieked pulling it tighter around her legs, her face furiously red.

"Oh, come on. I've seen it all," he shrugged.

"I can guarantee you you didn't see it all…" she grumbled and doubled over herself when a new wave of itchiness hit. "Oh, God!"

"You sound like you're in labor," he frowned.

"Another great idea!" She intended to snap but it came out as an outcry of pain.

"Meredith, I can see you're suffering," he said in a cool professional voice and put his hands over hers to coax her into taking them off. "I wanna help you but you need to let me. And if you won't, I am going to sedate you."

"You wouldn't!" she glared at him.

"I don't want to do that but I will if I have to," he said solemnly. "Please, Mer, for your own good."

"Fine!" she whimpered dramatically and threw herself back, her hands concealing her red face.

She felt the cover being hitched over her legs, his hands on her knees.

For a few long seconds, there was silence. Long, humiliating silence. That was not how she wanted him to examine her girl parts. And then-

"What is that?" She heard his curious voice.

"What?" she gasped and looked at him propping herself up on her elbows. "My vagina, you moron!"

"That I know," he rolled his eyes. "What I don't know is that rash which is… blistering?"

"Haven't you ever been hiking?" she asked with disbelief. "In the woods or something?"

"A long time ago," he shrugged.

"It's poison oak!" she cried dramatically.

"Oh… oh!" he gasped biting on his lip. "You have poison oak on…"

"Yeah, I have poison oak on my hoo-hoo! Can we get over that part already and concentrate on getting me better?"

"Right, okay…" he cleared his throat covering his mouth with his hand.

"Oh, no…" she squinted at him, shaking her head in a warning. "Don't you dare…"

A snort escaped him, his eyes crinkled, he couldn't help his face scrunching up. She threw a gauze at him for lack of anything better but that only made him take his hands off his face to catch it and reveal the wide grin that spread behind them. He couldn't contain it any longer, he couldn't. She might jump off the stirrups in order to kill him but he simply couldn't help exploding out into a loud boisterous laughter that shook his whole body. Laughter that made Izzie smile behind the door and walk off with a giggle to let the crazy lovers to themselves.

Meredith watched him bend in laughter and then pace up and down, shaking his head. He laughed so hard she could see tears in his eyes when he halted in front of her, his hands on his hips.

"Mer," her name came out more like a squeak between the subsequent peals of laughter.

Something broke inside her. This was ridiculous. It was one of the most ridiculous situations she had ever found herself in her life. His fits of laughter didn't subside one bit and it was contagious. She could already feel it bubbling inside her. She pressed her lips together but she couldn't stifle the chuckles. At long last she relented, and just let herself get carried away joining him in his mirth. Worse even, she was in hysterics, which brought a surprising momentary relief to her itchiness.

Derek walked up to her and pressed a kiss to her lips, his hand caressing the top of her head.

"Yesterday's romp at the ranch, right? So this why you wished I'd never come here, huh?" he chuckled.

"I'm sorry," she sighed, looking up at him apologetically. "I didn't mean that. I was just… pissed, not that it's an excuse…"

"I'm sorry too," he nodded. "I said some things that I didn't mean either."

"Can you… help me?" she asked biting on her lip as her itchiness returned with full face.

"Oh, right, sorry," he pressed another kiss to her forehead and hurried to plop on the seat previously vacated by Izzie.

"So, there's the calamine lotion. And get me that shot already."

"I'm sorry for… that too," he pointed at her crotch.

"It's… fine, it's not like I didn't want the sex," she shrugged, twisting on the table as he applied the lotion. "You are so relieved that little Derek didn't get the nasty rash, aren't you?"

"Well, at least one doctor in town can help patients…" he answered evasively.

"Right," she smiled at him knowingly. "Admit it. I'm not gonna get mad. You're relishing the moment. After the gas station and the lice and being locked out naked… it feels good."

"Er… yeah, a bit," he cleared his throat again. "Or a bigger bit."

"I thought so."

"But I'm thousand times more sorry that you're hurting," he said sincerely. "And there will be no sex in the immediate future. So really, the cons outweigh the pros."

"Derek…" she looked at him again, her voice suddenly taking a nervous, almost vulnerable note. "I'm really sorry for what I said earlier. It's just… I've built up these walls around me and you suddenly came into my life and… made me feel some things. And it's… overwhelming sometimes and…"

"Downright scary?" he asked knowingly.

"You feel that too?" she breathed out.

"Yeah, figured we can be scared together," he smiled at her reassuringly. "And I'm happy the things you said aren't really that much of an issue because I'm going to do some hovering," he smirked. "I need to take care of you until you're better."

She rolled her eyes but her smile didn't disappear.

"I'm gonna help you get into bed when I'm done here. You need to lie down. And no arguing," he stated firmly seeing her open her mouth.

"I was just gonna say… that you might stay tonight… here… if you want to… No sex but-"

"You know I'm not here just for sex. I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Derek," she finally relaxed.

"You're very welcome, Meredith."

**A/N Some of you asked about the other board where I publish my fics. It is a very active and friendly face, which can boast quite a number of fine authors. I'll very happily provide you with a link (in reply to a review or a PM) but if you register there, please don't be a lurker. I know well enough it's sometimes hard to speak up for various reasons, but**** Surgical Language is a very nice place; and if you're thinking about writing your own fic, you'll find a lot of support and advice there without the risk of being attacked by flamers.**

**Yours,**

**Em**


	20. Chapter 20: Under The Night Sky

**A/N Thank you for the comments!**

**Enjoy!**

The alarm blared off, loud and clear. Meredith untangled herself from the ivy-like grip of Derek's arms and legs and scurried to the bathroom. She was back fifteen minutes later, damp from the shower and wrapped up in her towel.

"Hey! Get your ass up!" she slapped his buttock and he groaned.

"It's six a.m.," he almost whimpered nuzzling his face into the pillow. She bit her lip. Derek did the nuzzling thing, beside the fucking thing and the cuddling and the humming and the leaning. Oh, and the smiling, and a thousand of other things that drove her crazy. Good crazy. Every day surprised her a little more how everything she initially hated about him changed in her eyes to his advantage.

"It's not six a.m. It's seventeen past six. You tell me you save lives in the OR when you don't even get the sense of passing time?" she quipped.

"I wanna sleep," he murmured disregarding her jab. "Sleep…"

"Where's your inner surgeon clock? Doing forty-eight hour shifts? Pre-rounds? Do you even remember those?"

"Ohhh," he groaned. "Don't remind me. The sole idea is painful at this hour."

"Oh, you are gonna have so much trouble getting back on the horse," she quipped dropping her towel and reaching for her clothes that he had insisted to put into the wardrobe instead of throwing them in a heap on the armchair. Cleaning freak…

His head went up immediately at the sight of her naked body. "Depends on the horse…"

She turned to him otherwise listless, one of her legs in her jeans. "Did you just call me a horse?"

He only grinned, his indigo orbs glued at the level of her bare breasts which bounced up and down as she put on her jeans.

"What if I give you more incentive to get up than just saving lives?" she quirked her eyebrow.

"You think we're going to be saving lives?" he snorted with sheer amusement. "On the Intergalactic March or something?"

"Everything can happen on the Intergalactic March," she shrugged. "It brings out all the crazies. Better than Halloween."

"You were saying something about an incentive…?"

She sent him a full smile as she clasped her bra. "I'm healed…"

"You're healed?" his own smile turned wicked and he was out of bed faster than a lightning.

"Ha, one innuendo and you're up! All up," she commented at his hardening length that was pointing straight at her. Did she mention already that she liked the naked sleeping too?

"I'm all up," he snickered closing on her like a predator on its prey. "Isn't that what you wanted from me?"

"Yeah, now go take your shower," she steered around him pushing on his shoulder blades. She lost the sight of little Derek but still could admire his very shapely ass. "You should probably make it a cold one."

"Oh, come on! You tease!"

"Oh, come on!" she mimicked him. "I gave you an incentive for later. We don't have time now! Get a move on."

"A quickie," he pleaded.

"No time for a quickie. If you had got up with me, we might have had nice time in the shower. Now you'll have to wait for the night. Late night. Because we'll be on our feet all day. Busy busy day."

"Exactly!" he argued. "A long and busy day and you're holding out on sex?"

"I'm not holding out on anything! We just don't have time!"

"I'm gonna sing The Clash in the shower if you don't give me sex," he threatened.

She couldn't help laughing. They didn't have sex for the whole week following the poison oak incident. She had been a little worried that their relations would get awkward. What would they do? What would they talk about? However, much to her surprise, the awkward moments happened very rarely.

They talked, they bantered, joked around. She learnt a lot about him, his chattiness had no limits, hence The Clash teasing. His sunny disposition surprisingly helped to overcome her own barriers, sometimes without her noticing.

"Sing away," she shrugged. "I'm gonna be doing breakfast anyway."

"Breakfast?" a sudden fear marred his face and he broke into a run to the bathroom. "I'll be right back. Start the coffee and nothing else."

She giggled going downstairs. It was her infallible way of getting the things done like she wanted without sex. Since the morning when she attempted to make pancakes, attempted being the operative word, Derek would do anything to prevent her from cooking again.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Looks like we're going to make a grand entrance," Meredith remarked pointing at the open door of Cristina inn back room. It was clearly full of people already, the most important people in Rachel.

"Are you bothered by this?" Derek gave her a worried look. "Because I can wait in the car-"

"No, you're not going to wait in the car, Derek. I'm not ashamed of you," she gave his hand a little squeeze. "And I'm not going to waste time later repeating everything that was said."

"Good morning!" she greeted the gathering walking inside with Derek. Every pair of eyes fixed on them curiously. There was Cristina, the majority of her staff, sheriff Rigsby and his deputies, Izzie, Charlotte King from the tourist office, the town's mayor and his secretary, two military men and numerous volunteers.

"Finally," Cristina smirked at her across the room. "We've started without you. Saving shower water backfired on you two?"

Meredith narrowed her eyes at her as several snorts and chuckles rang across the room.

"No, we could barely drive through there's so much crowd everywhere," she replied sourly and cleared her throat, "Those who haven't met him yet, this is Dr. Shepherd. He's going to help us today."

"We're going to need every help we can get," nodded Charlotte King. "According to our estimations there are nearly four hundred people here already and it's only early morning. We can expect a real invasion during the day."

"Let's go through the program one more time, peeps," ordered the mayor. "Grand opening here in the center, lasts about an hour. Then we slowly, I repeat slowly, make our way south. Remember that no cars are allowed with the exception of Rigsby's and Dr. Grey's…"

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"So, what's the latest Rachel news?" Meredith asked casually approaching her best friend when the meeting was over.

"Oh, you mean dirty gossip about you and Dr. McDreamy?" she arched her eyebrow knowingly.

"No!" she frowned. "Yes. There's a lot of gossip? Is it dirty?"

"You bet."

"So?"

"So?"

"Don't screw with me, Cristina. I had poison oak rash on my girl parts."

"That's what you get when you're a dirty dirty stripper."

"That's what people say?" Meredith gasped in horror.

"No, they don't know the details. They just… think it was a sort of vague sex injury."

"Oh, okay… I mean, no! Not okay! I'm a town whore now?"

"Mer, relax. No one is judging you. They actually think you're a victim here."

"A victim? How come?"

"Well, you're this beautiful single naïve woman who's fallen prey to the suave Dr. Shepherd. He seduced you for fun and he's gonna throw you away like a used rag in a few weeks leaving you heartbroken and pregnant," Cristina rattled off with a yawn.

Meredith cackled with laughter. "Seriously? Does that sound like me?"

"I don't know," Cristina shrugged innocently. "I'd say being all doe-eyed smitten with a guy didn't sound like you and there you go."

"You were the one to encourage me to jump into bed with him," Meredith gasped with disbelief.

"Exactly, I didn't encourage you to fall head over heels though."

"I didn't. I just like sex," argued Meredith.

"You sure it's just sex?" Cristina gave her a piercing look. "He's going to be gone in over a month. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course, I do! I told you, my heart is not in my vagina. I don't… I don't even know if my heart is still there… anywhere. I wouldn't be able to sustain a long-term relationship even if I wanted. And I don't want it."

"So, you're still going to look for a doctor for the practice?" asked Cristina, trying to appear casual.

"Yeah, sure. Come to think of it, I should already put up an announcement in the paper."

"Oh, you might not need to do that… Remember... I told you there was a guy?"

"Yes?" Meredith raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"Well, he might…. Turn out to be something more than just a fuck buddy. And a… he wants to move here…"

"For you?" Meredith wiggled her eyebrows, not missing a chance to tease her best friend. "How romantic…"

"Shut up," Cristina said grumpily.

"So he's a doctor?"

"Yeah. He's a trauma surgeon. Been in Afghanistan, Iraq, in Nellis base for the last six month. And now he wants to settle… He wants to settle down…"

"And you want him to settle down with you," smiled Meredith.

"I… don't mind… I think?" she glanced up at Meredith as though looking for approval.

"Oh, I'm so proud of you, Cristina Yang."

"So I was thinking if you could talk to him, maybe-"

"'Course, I'll be more than happy if you found me a doctor. You like him and that's the best recommendation. When can I meet him?"

"He's here," sighed Cristina.

"Oh? Which one?"

"My guy is talking to your guy."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Dr. Shepherd!" the man Derek recognized as Major Hunt who bought him a drink the memorable night shook his hand. "You're still in Rachel! Alive and well. And you won the woman," Owen remarked approvingly.

"Yeah, I've never been so grateful for a black eye in my life," he chuckled.

"Major Hunt, good to see you here. You're gonna help us out today?"

"I intend to. I'm a doctor so thought I can lend you a hand."

"Well, if you do, you need to get some civilian clothes. Some of the weirdos think you guys torture their family in the base," quipped Cristina, appearing at his side with Meredith.

"Family?" frowned Derek.

"Yeah, the green relatives from Mars, bulging eyes, antennas sticking out of the head," Meredith explained with a smile.

"Ah!" Derek laughed. "You weren't joking about the crazies, were you?"

"So you're Cristina's boyfriend?" Meredith eyed Owen curiously.

"No-" Cristina started to protest.

"I hope so," he chuckled at her reluctance. "Owen Hunt, pleasure to meet you."

"A man who sneaks from the base to have sex with me is not my boyfriend."

"That's why I'm retiring," Owen hurried to explain and turned to Meredith. "Dr. Grey, I hear you'll have an open position to fill at the practice in a couple of weeks? I'd be grateful for considering me. I have served-"

"Yes, I know, Cristina's told me. There are certain… specificities to working in Rachel."

"I've heard from Cris," he assured with a laugh. "I am up for the challenge."

"All right then" Meredith reciprocated the smile. "I'll see how you do today but I'm pretty sure we'll become coworkers soon enough."

Derek cleared his throat conspicuously. "We should head to the practice, Mer. Lots of work."

"Oh, right," she said frowning slightly at his suddenly sullen look. "We should probably take the necessary equipment to the car before the working hours. We never know how much time we'll have later."

"I can come with you two," Owen offered helpfully. "Help out with whatever is to be done."

"We'll manage," Derek threw curtly and strutted out to the jeep without a second glance.

"What's wrong with him?" shrugged Cristina.

"He's just… sex deprived," Meredith said the first thing that came to her mind, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she stared at the back of his black-haired head. It was going to be a long day, even longer if Derek chose to behave like a sulky child. "I'll catch up with you later."

"Derek, what's wrong?" she asked him catching up with him at the car.

"Oh, nothing," he snorted sarcastically. "Just good to finally know how much you want to get rid of me. Already taking care of a replacement, right in front of me."

"Seriously?" Meredith gasped angrily. "Seriously? You need to pull your hypocritical head out of your hypocritical ass! You came here and you thought the world stopped spinning, oh great Derek Shepherd? No, it didn't."

"Mer-"

"Shut up! You're going to be back in NY in over a month and I have to have another pair of hands on deck. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a good, I repeat, a good doctor who'd agree to work here? So, no, you don't get to be mad at me for doing my job. And great thinking by the way, I want to get rid of you so much that I sleep with you every night in hope of you leaving." She scowled at and sidestepped him to driver's seat.

"It's just-" he stated defeatedly.

"Yeah, it's always 'it's just' with you. I don't wanna hear this, I just want to get through the day."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith was behaving like a bitch. She knew that. She felt bad for it. But it was just easier this way. They were keeping it commitment free and it was working for her. She hadn't had that much fun for ages.

He couldn't just break the rules and start bitching and moaning, going all possessive and what not. He would be gone and she would have to deal with everything alone so he didn't have a right to pout. Certainly, not when it came to her.

The atmosphere in the car she shared with Derek and Owen was unbearable. The people walking in the March all around them were laughing, having fun and they were… awkward. Owen tried to strike some conversation but his attempts went in vain. Derek seemed to be still mad at him and Meredith was fed up with Derek's attitude.

However, against herself, she felt her anger ebbing away. She glanced in the rear view mirror as Derek had been vengefully delegated to the backseat with Owen taking his place at the front. He sported that beaten up puppy look again. And his eyes were shining like those of a little boy in Santa's workshop as he stared at the crowd all around. There surely was a lot to be stared at. The March resembled a carnival. The majority of participants wore costumes, from Star Wars memorabilia to their own creations.

"Derek," sighed Meredith. "You want to go with everyone?"

"No, it's okay," he grumbled.

"Seriously, we can go mingle. Owen will drive," she rolled her eyes at Derek's stubbornness. He certainly had a thing for being broody and moody.

"Fine."

"We're taking a medical kit, if anything happens we'll be right there," she said to Owen while he moved to take the place behind the steering wheel. "We're having our cells on, so just call if you need us."

She pushed the medical kit in one of Derek's hands, grabbed the other one so as not to lose him, and led him through the crowd.

"I'm sorry." She heard him sigh after a few minutes of walking in silence.

"Mhm."

"You were right. I was out of line."

"Damn right you were."

"It's just that… I like it here. I love spending time with you. For the past week I practically forgot there was such a place called New York."

"Well, you shouldn't forget about it. Because you live there," she said firmly. "And you will be back there sooner than you realize."

"I know… I think it's going to be hard to leave it all behind…"

Meredith felt tingles of unease going through her body. In her mind's eye she saw Derek driving away in some sort of a shiny car while she stood listless on the threshold of the practice. She shook the image off swiftly. She should not get overly attached to him.

"I don't want to get rid of you," she said uneasily. "But I don't lose sight of the realities. I will need to hire a doctor, I have a chance now and I'm not going to throw it away."

"Okay, I'm… going to be adult about this," he sighed and looked at her hopefully, his fingers squeezing hers. "Are we calling it a truce?"

"Yeah, we're calling it a truce," she rolled her eyes but a smile playing on her lips. "Anyway, enjoying the parade?"

"It's fantastic!" he chuckled, his eyes sweeping around. "It wasn't like this when I was a kid. I remember there were some fifty people tops and I had to sneak out with Nancy because Mom didn't want to let us go."

"The event's growing every year but it's still a long time before we can compete with Roswell."

"You plan on seeing that happen?" he asked curiously. "You never think of… moving? Leaving Rachel?"

"Why would I?" she shrugged. "This is my place, my home. I don't have another."

Derek's grip on her hand tightened. "What about your childhood home?"

"That… was never my home. I didn't have the happiest childhood."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't… horrid. I just have no sentiment for Seattle."

He quietly digested the new information she let slip. She was from Seattle. But she was to New York as well at some point. He wanted to know more about her, he wanted to know everything. He wondered if she'd ever let him. Ever… They didn't have forever. They only had weeks… Those thoughts were pushed out of his mind, however, when he spotted a man in his fifties, sitting on a big rock and wiping the sweat off his face.

"Sir, are you alright?" Derek hurried to ask.

"No, I'm not alright!" he growled and Derek backed off somewhat. "I'm tired."

"I'm Dr. Shepherd and this is Dr. Grey. Do you want us to take you away from here? To the town? Do you have-"

"I'll be fine!" the man roared importantly. "I'm an interstellar emissary from the planet Draconis. I've been through worse things!"

"Ugh…" Derek looked at Meredith seeking help.

"Leave him be," she mouthed to him and nudged him forward. "He'll be okay."

"Really?" Derek raised his eyebrow skeptically, glancing back at the man who just stood up to continue his walk. "He sounds like had sustained trauma to his head."

Meredith giggled. "I used to thinks so about every other tourist I've overheard talking in Cristina's inn."

"I think he needs a psych consult," insisted Derek.

"Don't we all," she replied with a chuckle and led him forward to the air force base's high fence that was the march's destination.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Aren't you tired?" Meredith's giggle carried through the desert as Derek dragged her over to a place sheltered from view. It was late night, or very early morning, and the after parade party was winding down. Owen was back in the base with the promise of being hired at the practice in over a month while Meredith and Derek were finally free from their duties. According to Derek, it was also the time to put into life Meredith's promise from the morning yesterday.

"I'm never too tired for this," he assured her hotly. His hands ran all over her body wherever he could reach, undecided where to start.

"Me neither," she breathed out, her lips searching for his frantically. They were a whirlwind of hands trying to feel as much as possible, to caress, to grope, to tear all the clothing that was in the way of their desire… A whole week without this, it was too much…

"I want us naked," he panted, carelessly tugging her jeans down. "Naked… I want you naked and pressed close to me…"

She let out a sweet giggle. "Are you sure there's no poison oak in the vicinity? Our last outdoor adventure didn't end up so well for me."

They didn't have blanket, anything. Well, except a condom which somehow Derek didn't forget to take with him in the morning. Derek lay her down delicately on his clothes he threw haphazardly to the ground. There was only their naked raw desire that propelled them further with an almost animalistic need.

Meredith was slightly surprised with the intensity of Derek's actions. He was always a passionate attentive lover but what he was doing now was blowing her mind. He hovered over her like a predator feasting on his prey. No place on her body was left untouched, not pampered with the pads of his fingers or the moist kiss of his lips and tongue.

Suddenly, he stilled above her, seconds before he was about to enter her, and stared into his eyes. She shivered, his gaze was so deep as though he was trying to peer into her very soul.

"Are you gonna fuck me or what?" she chuckled breathlessly, trying to turn everything into playfulness.

"Not exactly," he murmured, his lips engaging hers with a lasting kiss. Then, he looked back into her eyes with serious concern, "Do you want to be back up?"

She stilled, her eyes going wide in surprise. She didn't notice, she didn't have a care in the world she was lying under him until he brought it up himself. He remembered she preferred to be on top. And he willingly offered to gave her the control over their lovemak- no, over the sex they were having.

And she didn't notice. She was so caught up in the pleasure and anticipation and the wondrous feel of him against her that she didn't have a care in the world.

"So…?" he asked awaiting her answer.

She blinked a few times, her heart beating wildly. Her eyes slid over his head… and felt the calmness seep back into her heart. She was safe here, under the beautiful night sky of Nevada. Nothing and no one was going to harm her. Certainly not Derek. He was waking her up, pulling her up from the dead. Every touch, every caress of his was cleansing her. She had felt so used, so dirty after Mitch, like her body would be impure forever. Derek Shepherd healed her…

"It's… okay…" she let out a barely audible sigh while her legs tightened around his waist.

His blue pools of eyes widened in surprise but she reassured him with a smile, and a nudge against the small of his back. He slipped inside her slowly, feeling every ridge of her moist channel.

She gasped. Her world felt strangely complete. She felt complete. She was home. That sense mounted with every withdrawal and thrust of his until her world exploded and she could no longer tell if the lights she was seeing were really burning up in the heavens or just in her head.

**A/N Next update: An emergency situation makes Meredith reveal her surgical skills. Also, you may expect to know more about Mitch soon…**

**Have a great weekend,**

**Em **


	21. Chapter 21: Come Rain Or Shine

**A/N Hello everyone! I'm very happy to post another update again, as it's a little anniversary for me. Two years ago I posted the very first chapter of my very first story. :) I'd like to thank all me readers for their support, and I know some of them are here from day one! Thank you!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

Meredith slipped into the storage room and searched the shelves with her eyes. A knowing smirk on her face, she counted… one… two… three… Yes, infallibly, the door opened ever so quietly and she felt a pair of arms envelop her from behind, the scent of his aftershave making her blood course faster in her veins.

"No patients…" he murmured against the nape of her neck as his fingers were already making their way under her dress.

"And Izzie?" she giggled, writhing against him.

"She's… she's…" he stammered distractedly when his hands found her panties.

"She's…?"

"Don't know…" he huffed, his tongue making circles on her neck.

"Don't know?" she slapped his hands off before he could take off her panties.

"It's not like she's here," he chuckled insistently pushing under her dress.

"Derek, not now," she laughed turning to face him.

"What's that?" he asked noticing a small packet in her hands.

"That's…" she bit her lip looking up at him. "Birth control pills."

"Birth…" he trailed off. "For…?"

"Yeah, for me, or well, for us," she shrugged. "You'll have to actually prescribe them for me. That is… if you want? I figured it could be more comfortable…"

"Yeah," he said hoarsely.

"Yeah? Because we're doing it… like everywhere…" she frowned her forehead.

"All the time," he nodded smiling.

"And… well, I'm clean," she said uncomfortably.

"Me too."

"Are you?" she cleared her throat.

"Seriously?" Derek snorted and squinted at her. "Of course I am! How could you doubt?"

"With that stamina of yours and no girlfriend I imagine a whole intergalactic parade going through your bedroom."

"You did not just say…!" he gasped at her. When she showed no remorse he backed her against the wall, pressing both of her wrists with his hands. He loomed over her and her pulse skyrocketed when his face hovered over hers, denying the kiss. He whispered into her neck, his breath hot on her skin, his voice throaty, "My stamina is all your doing… I've never wanted a woman as much as you in my whole life… It's like I can't get enough of you. I want to touch you, kiss you, be inside you all the time…"

A moan escaped her throat. That's what she wanted too. Him inside her. All the freaking time.

"I guess this is one of the situations when the pill will come in handy," he chuckled, still holding her prisoner.

"We'll have to do with the condoms for the time being…" she breathed out, trying to squirm free from his tight grip. Not that she didn't enjoy it, it turned her on. But she wanted to touch him…

They were startled by the energetic knocking on the door.

"Meredith, Derek," Izzie's categorical voice carried from the lobby. "You need to stop doing… it in there or I will never dare go there again! And you certainly have to stop doing it now! I've just got a call, it's an emergency. The boys were raising the barn at Sam's ranch and… it collapsed!"

"Oh my god!" Meredith was out of Derek's arms and the storage room in a flash. "Is someone injured?"

"I think so," Izzie scrunched her face in worry. "It definitely sounds serious… I… I think Sam is trapped under the debris-"

"Iz, get an ambulance from Vegas!" Meredith barked an order and dived back into the storage room for emergency kits. "I think we'd all better go…"

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"I told Sam not to push it," Meredith muttered under her breath when their car rolled into Sam's driveway and across the lawn. "I told him just weeks ago when he came in with that strained muscle!"

"Maybe it's not that bad…" Derek said soothingly.

"Oh, it's definitely worse than that bad…" she sighed heavily quickly surveying the scene before them as she parked her car at the side. A dozen of people were swarming around the wooden ruins of what was supposed to be Sam's brand new barn. Dust lingered in the air making way to men's airways and making them cough.

"Dr. Grey!" one of them shouted desperately, dried blood on his cheek. "Over 'ere!"

Once she reached him she immediately went to investigate his face but he shook his head quickly. "I'm fine, Doc! It's just a scratch. It's… it's Sam. He's under it! We managed to run when we noticed it start to go down but he… he tried to… and… it just caved on him! He's right here…"

Meredith fought hard to make her gasp as inaudible as possible.

She lunged towards the man squashed by the debris. Currently only his head, one arm and foot were uncovered. His friends bustled like bees to get anything out of the way but it would take time before they could pull him free.

"Sam! Do you hear me?" she asked sliding on the wooden splinters as she made her way to him.

Pained groans answered her and another man hurried to say, "He's conscious but barely… and there's… there's blood… Dr. Grey, can you help him? Please."

She knelt beside Sam's head assessing the injuries. She bit her lip, it didn't seem like she could do much for him at the moment. He was practically buried under the ruins. But his head.. there was truly a lot of blood…

"Sam!" she called his name watching his eyelids flutter. "His pupil's blown, he's limp," she muttered. "Sam, do you hear me?"

But his eyes were becoming more and more unseeing.

"Doc, he… He went sorta weird just before you came. His eyes sorta rolled up and he started twitching…"

"He had a seizure," sighed Derek dropping to his knees behind Meredith.

"Depressed skull fracture," she muttered delicately scrutinizing the area on his head that seemed to be the source of all the bleeding.

"He's got an intracranial bleed…" Derek stated expertly even though Meredith was fully aware of that without his opinion. "Damn it, there's no way we can get him to the hospital on time-"

"Boys… do you have a drill? I need a drill!" she ordered shrilly and dived for her medical kit to disinfect the drill bit.

"What for-"

"No questions! We don't have time! Do you want to save his life or not? Get me a drill, stat!"

"Meredith, you're not thinking about doing burr holes, do you?" Derek asked anxiously. "This isn't a neurosurgical drill, Meredith!"

"I'm fully aware of that!" she shouted at him deafeningly. "I'm fully aware it won't stop but I don't have a choice here. I know there's a risk I can pierce his brain but if I don't try, he's gonna die! Sometimes you've got to trust your instincts, Derek!"

"Let me do it, then, I'm a neurosurgeon-"

"Derek, with all due respect, you're in no state to do it! You were panicking a second ago! Have you ever held a normal drill in your hands? I thought so," she nodded at his expression and turned back to Sam. "Hold him still for me, can you do that?" she asked moving aside, her legs cramped against the debris as she made space for Derek to squeeze closer.

"Okay, I've got this," his voice was stronger than his expression. He was visibly apprehensive at the crude attempt at practicing medicine at the accident site. "You drill the first hole-"

"I know, Derek," she shut him up. "Don't mess with my concentration!"

She knowingly placed three fingers above Sam's ear and two fingers in front of that on the side when the first pupil blew. She then made vertical scalp incision down to the skull. Ignoring the puzzled questioning looks Derek was sending her, she put the drill down to the skull and set the bit in motion. She was all concentration and precision as the bit droned into the temporal bone which was only a couple of millimeters thick.

"Dura looks fine…" she muttered.

"You have to go in again," Derek said quickly, something resembling awe in his voice. "Frontal lobe-"

"Just behind the hairline, I know!" she quieted him once again.

This bone was thicker, five times as thick as the temporal bones, but Meredith felt the exact moment she needed to switch off the drill.

"And there it is…" she sighed and proceeded to expand the hole in order relieve the pressure. "Clotted blood," she muttered to herself. "No arterial… What would I give for a sucker right now…"

She grabbed a gauze and started to evacuate the mass, every little move of her beadily observed by Derek, suspicion burning in his eyes.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"What was that?" Derek asked with insistence in his voice, hot on her heels. A helicopter was to be here any minute to take Sam into hospital. He had several broken bones and probably internal bleeding but there was nothing to do for him here.

"What was what?" she shrugged distractedly.

"You know what, the rock star surgeon romp!" he breathed out.

"What?" she snorted, her voice high-pitched. "I think you're a bit shaken down. Maybe you should sit and take a few deep breaths-"

"You saved this man's life!"

"And that's something to complain about, right?" she rolled her eyes.

"The way you saved him, an average doctor would never pull it off," he insisted trying to catch her eye. "It required a lot of skill, precision, and thorough knowledge of what you were doing. What's your specialty?"

"My specialty is helping people," she bit back coldly. "You should do the same!"

"What are you not telling me-"

"Derek, for the last time!" she rounded on him, her eyes unyielding. "Go, leave me alone! In case you haven't noticed, there are other people here who require help! Go and be a doctor! And leave me the hell alone!"

She grabbed the kit and marched off leaving him standing, his eyes fixed at the back of her head. She felt like a trapped animal. But she hadn't had a choice, she had had to save Sam regardless of the risk of revealing her identity. He would have died if she hadn't reduced his intracranial pressure. And Derek wasn't in a right state to drill burr holes outside of the sterile OR or at least at a patient's bedside, with no proper equipment. She didn't blame him. It was a freaking drill, one millisecond of lagging and she would pierce a nice hole in Sam's brain matter. However, apart from the fear of being discovered and the obvious fear for Sam's wellbeing, she felt the thrill. She tried to push it to the back of her mind but quite unsuccessfully. The surgery high… The rush. The overpowering sense of holding another human's life in her hands. It all came back to her when she lowered the drill bit to Sam's skull.

It more than surprised her. She assumed the love for surgery had died in her altogether. It wasn't her first surgical experience since her flight from New York, she had performed surgeries in the hospital in Vegas from time to time, but it never brought that excitement she had felt before. Somehow the emergency burr holes pierced in Sam's skull among the debris of his barn brought a sort of enlightenment.

But it didn't mean anything, she thought as she kicked an overturned bucket out of her way. It didn't change anything. And Derek didn't have a right to rake up her past. That was what they agreed upon at the beginning. He promised not to push her, not to harangue her with questions…

Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she caught a movement, low in the grass. She turned around and stilled, rooted to the spot. A rattlesnake was in her way, or actually she was in its way. Ever so slowly she stepped back but it seemed that the snake had been already disturbed and irritated too much today. It lunged and sank its fangs into her calf. Meredith hissed in pain as the reptile slid away quickly. Freaking perfect! One day she didn't wear her high boots a damn snake chose to bite her!

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"You can't push her like that," Izzie sighed appearing at Derek's side when he continued to observe Meredith. "You know what's she's like. The harder you push, the more she fights."

"Why?" he sighed dejectedly. "Is it too much of a requirement? A bit of honesty? What is she hiding?"

"I… I don't know, Derek," Izzie shook her head. "I don't know. All I know is that she had been badly hurt. It was like she didn't trust anyone when she came here. It took weeks before she said something to me that wasn't a casual greeting or a professional request. So don't, don't push her."

Derek was only half-listening now, frowning at Meredith who suddenly jumped with a start, scowling at a point on the ground. She then bent herself examining her leg.

He started to walk towards her with growing anxiety as she straightened up and called Izzie.

"What's wrong?" Derek asked immediately as they got to her, noting worriedly that her face was going steadily paler.

"Iz, antivenom shot," Meredith ordered urgently, pushing open the medical kit. Snake bites weren't a rarity in this region, the remedy should be always at the ready.

"Anti what?" Derek gasped watching with wide eyes as Izzie swiftly prepared the injection.

"That's a snake's bite," Izzie pointed at two distinct marks on Meredith's calf.

"Rattlesnake's," added Meredith bringing a hand to her head.

Derek hurried to support her as he noticed her swaying slightly. "Meredith? Meredith!"

"There," Izzie sighed pressing a gauze to the vein where she injected the antivenom. "She'll be alright."

"Really?" he asked, panic weaving into his voice, Meredith was getting limp in his arms.

"I'm dizzy…" she sighed, her eyes closing.

"That's because of her weight," explained Izzie. "But the bite couldn't have been that toxic. There's practically no swelling around the incisions."

"I need to take her out of here," he muttered lifting her up gently.

"Take her to the practice," nodded Izzie. "I'll be there when I finish with everyone. I'll be fine on my own here, there are just superficial cuts here left to tend to. And don't worry, she needs to sleep through it. She might be a bit feverish but she'll be alright. The antivenom's already working."

That was what Derek wanted to believe as he carried her over to the car, dismissing the concerned questions of the people around. The fight they just had seemed so utterly silly. All the irritation with her secretiveness evaporated in the face of the danger she found herself in.

**A/N Next chapter: we get a glimpse of Mitch…**

**Em :)**


	22. Chapter 22: Leap In The Dark

**A/N I'm sorry for another long pause in updating. It's been a busy time for a number of reasons. Hope you still enjoy! **

**In the previous update, Meredith has been bitten by a rattlesnake. **

Meredith saw the darkness fall around her. And then it turned to light. She felt so light, like she didn't weigh an ounce. She heard voices calling her name. But she was boneless. She couldn't move. She couldn't call back. Images flew before her eyes with a colorful dizzying blur.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

**FLASHBACK**

Meredith downed another tequila shot. The fiery liquid flowing down her throat felt strangely liberating. Recently every party outing ended up with her in a bar. She couldn't quite comprehend why. She fell in love with this lifestyle when she first tasted it two years ago.

A condo in Manhattan, chic parties every weekend, top designer dresses and shoes, jewelry, men falling at her feet, business trips around the world and a company limo at her beck and call… She loved it. Or at least she had. Lately the glamour lost something of its spark. Constant worrying about keeping up with fashion (it was a crime to show up in a dress from a previous collection), trying to strike a meaningful conversation with empty-headed socialites who couldn't spell hematoma, remembering the names of celebrities who ebbed and flowed every few months. It was no longer fun.

But she had to keep on playing that role, it was one of her unspoken obligations. She owed it to the company. Sometimes she didn't feel like the chief of research team any longer. She was the company's bitch. And she had to accept it. Money for trials didn't fall from the sky. And frankly, what she would rather do with her limited free time than go to party looking like a goddess? It wasn't like she had friends to hang out with. Her residency at Mount Sinai was short. She didn't make any deeper ties with her colleagues, partly due to the age gap between her and her fellow residents, partly due to her difficult character.

She was her mother's daughter when it came to medicine. She delivered perfection, she expected perfection. Nothing less. The only one that managed to penetrate past her walls was Dr. Helen Crawford, now her fellow attending, soon to be the head of neuro, at Sinai. She saw her less and less the last few months. Meredith was forced to severely cut her hospital hours; the drug trial she was leading was too time-consuming.

Meredith felt the tequila induced warmth on her face and decided it was time to call it a night. She slipped from the barstool and her sky high heel teetered, making her stumble.

"I'm sorry," she muttered apologetically feeling herself collide with a hard chest. A pair of strong hands steadied her upright and a pleasant scent of cologne tickled her nose enticingly.

"No need to be," a confident masculine voice chuckled above her ear. "I'm always happy to help a damsel in distress."

At once she pulled away from him rather gruffly. "I'm no damsel and I'm definitely not in distress," she hissed at him, straightening her dress.

"Okay then," he shrugged and turned his attention to the bar while muttering under his breath, "Cinderella."

"What did you just call me?" she snapped at him, her eyes sparkling dangerously.

Quite unexpectedly to Meredith, he didn't cower like many men in front of her would. He turned to her flashing a full smile which, as she reluctantly noticed, was quite charming in the cocky way. The rest of him was not too bad to look at either. If she wasn't cross with him, she would actually say he was hot. He was towering over her even when he was leaning against the bar. He had a strong jaw accentuated with a stylishly trimmed beard, angelic curly blonde hair and green eyes that sparked with amusement, and changed to blue when he angled his head.

He cleared his throat and repeated with a smile, "Cinderella."

"I heard the first time around," she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "You were supposed to stutter and say 'Nothing'!"

"I guess I tend to say things I'm not supposed to," he sighed and Meredith registered with a curious frown that his smile waned somehow. "But really, I just meant that you're standing out in here." He pointed around with his head.

Indeed, she was wearing a fashionable black dress paired with sexy high heels and her skin was glittering. She looked exactly like she had walked from the party about an hour ago whereas other clients of the downtown bar looked most casual, relaxing after work.

"You're standing out too," she pointed out, noticing that his handsome face became slightly haggard as he turned away from her facing the bar and waiting for the barman. "I don't think anyone else looks like they want to get drunk. So," she said as she sat back on her stool she had previously vacated. "What's your story?"

"I don't want to have a story tonight," he cracked a small smile, taking the barstool beside her. "I just want to be a guy in the bar."

"I can be just a girl in the bar," she grinned back raising her hand to catch the barman's attention.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith eyed the file with disbelief, irritation and something that resembled disgust. Anger like she rarely felt flared in her chest.

"Unbelievable!" she shrieked at her assistant, a short-haired young woman who was now wishing to become invisible. "This is unbelievable incompetence! Did you attempt to make a fool of me and my research?"

"No, Dr. Grey, I swear, it was an honest mistake!" squeaked the woman.

"I do not tolerate mistakes on my team!" growled Meredith. "Your mistake, as you called it, might have cost me my prestige, my reputation, millions of dollars' funding! Not to mention lives or at least health of the trial's participants!"

"I'm sorry!" the assistant had tears in her eyes at this point.

A soft but well-aimed knock on the open door interrupted the scene. "Did I come at a bad time?" a tall woman with dark hair and strong accent asked with a knowing smile.

"Helen!" Meredith sighed passing a hand through her hair. "No, come in, come in. Dr. Adamson, take that report and rectify your… your mistake. And I don't even want to see a badly-placed dot this time, it must be spotless. Mark my words, there will be no more second chances."

"Yes, Dr. Grey," she nodded and cleared off as fast as she could, avoiding her eyes.

Helen shook her head at her friend with amusement. "Trying to get a harassment lawsuit?

"She fucked up, Helen," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Big time. She screwed up the drug composition list. Just before I was going to send it up. She put the composition from before the animal testing. She's-"

"Only learning still," Helen stopped her rant.

"On a lot of mistakes," snorted Meredith. She looked pointedly at the large brown envelope in her best friend's hands. "Yours?" she said, and it was more a statement than a question. "And the blood work."

Helen passed her her CT scans. "Looks like I'm all clear to attend the wedding."

A shadow of a smile crept over Meredith's lips as she studied the images. "You know I wouldn't be either if you weren't, and I'm the bride."

"I know, I know, you'd be up to your elbows in my brain," she chuckled.

"Well, it looks good or… as good as it can look. The growth of the tumor certainly hasn't sped up. That's a good thing, right?" she looked at Helen encouragingly.

"I suppose…"

"We've got another year according to my prognosis."

"Another year," Helen nodded dejectedly.

"Helen?" Meredith grabbed her friend's hand in hers, squeezing hard. Her voice was so soft and concerned one wouldn't have believed that it came out of the same person who had just ruthlessly scolded her faulty employee.

"Jake left…"

"He what?" Meredith gasped in disbelief.

"I showed him these," Helen pointed at the scans. "And seen I was in no immediate danger… he left. That's okay," she assured quickly. "He was with me out of obligation for a long time."

"Do you want me to kick his ass?" Meredith enveloped her in a warm hug.

"No, I understand him. He was tired. The tests, the nerves, the operations, weeks and weeks in the hospital bed… the recovery takes forever. He was tired and frankly… so am I."

"Don't you dare say so," Meredith's voice was firm once again. "You don't give up, Helen. We don't give up. So what if Jake left? It's his loss!"

Helen nodded with a sad smile.

"Who's ordered the CTs by the way?" Meredith eyed the corner of the image curiously as she noticed a name she didn't recognize, and she knew the entire neuro department at Sinai.

"You're behind," quipped Helen. "I told you you should go back to us. I had my new resident do the scans, recent addition to the staff. Very bright, very talented. And following in her brother's footsteps, you know which one, he's the head of neurosurgery at Pres."

"What, Crichek?" Meredith frowned absent-mindedly, hanging off her lab coat and preparing to leave her office.

"No, not Crichek," Helen rolled her eyes. "He retired about a year ago. You really need to put away the test tubes and drugs and get back to scalpel full time."

"Right now I have a deadline to meet," Meredith sighed walking with Helen out of her office. "And I have twice as much trouble thanks to my incompetent assistant. I have a copy of that disastrous report at home, need to destroy it before it creates anymore confusion. Oh, and Helen," she smiled at her innocently, "Lexie told me all about the bachelorette party-"

"Don't," Helen rolled her eyes at her. "Lexie's told you nothing. Lexie doesn't even know anything. I keep my secrets well."

"Damn! But I want a penis cake, got it? A completely cliché penis-shaped cake!" she impressed on Helen as they parted in the parking lot.

Thirty minutes later Meredith was entering her apartment, the apartment she shared with Mitch for the past six months. They were together for over a year now, practically since they met at that fateful bar. It turned out he had lost his job that day. He was a corporate lawyer and he got fired for voicing a different opinion than his boss. He bounced back though, he was now working for smaller businesses, family firms. It brought less money but it was certainly more satisfying.

Meredith was back home unexpectedly early, she could take advantage of that and surprise him with a dinner (takeout of course) and some sexy romantic setting… Her train of thoughts was stopped abruptly as she crossed the threshold. She frowned surveying the living room. Everything was the same, yet something was different. And then she got it, everything was spotlessly clean. How was that possible? When she left for work a couple of hours earlier everything was in the normal middle of the week state of mild disorder. Mitch was surely at work doing his boring lawyer stuff and he was a bit of a slob like her anyway.

She heard footsteps coming from the corridor leading to other rooms and turned her head.

"Mitch?"

**END OF FLASHBACK**

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Derek put a damp cloth which he'd just used to cool Meredith's forehead away to a small basin on the table beside, all the time keeping her hand safely incased in one of his. It was slack in his grip, Meredith's hand. It worried him. Her grasp was always so strong, her fingers purposeful. Just like she was - energetic, full of life, independent. He hated to see her like this, feverish, trembling, unconscious. He really hoped Izzie was not mistaken and the antivenom was working…

The last couple of hours could easily be the worst in his life. The worry, the wait, the anxiousness. It was shockingly hard, not knowing exactly if she was going to be okay. He tried not to think about it. Because every time he did, lead seemed to fill his stomach. He was probably exaggerating, he realized that. However, the concern and grisly images came unbidden into his mind.

All wind was knocked out of him when he suddenly realized that nothing would be okay if something happened to her. Possibly ever. Not looking into her green mischievous pools of eyes, not hearing her sarcastic retort or her delighted giggle, it would be the end of the world as he knew it.

That knowledge scared him. When he had cone to Rachel, he was a free man. A few weeks later he was no longer his own master. This petite snarky woman had him in the palm of her hand. This concern about her, he was sure he was going to carry it in his heart for the rest of his days.

Apart from the sudden fear, something else exploded in his chest. It was excitement. He had never experienced a surge of emotions as powerful as this. That was, in its turn, liberating. He felt he was blessed with something, he wasn't quite sure with what but he had a feeling not everyone was graced enough to experience it.

Meredith stirred in her fretful slumber once more, this time her lips moving soundlessly.

"Mer?" he kneeled by her side on the floor, his thumb grazing her forehead delicately. "Meredith, sweetie?" They never used any terms of endearment, unless you could count little Derek as one, but the situation certainly called for it.

"Mi…" a barely audible murmur tore from her lips.

"Meredith, what is it? Do you hear me?"

"Mitch…" she gasped out.

His heart stopped, it must have stopped. Terrible cold was spreading through his body quicker than a venom. Mitch… She was calling another man's name while in distress.

As if to strengthen the blow, she muttered again, her lips trembling, "Mitch… Mitch… no…"

For the first time, he felt like an intruder. Like a rejected lover. He had no rights, no claims over her. He briefly contemplated leaving. Apparently, he was not the one she wanted at her side. But then… her fingers flexed a little and closed around his. He decided to stay. That… Mitch was not here. He had hurt Meredith. He, Derek, was the only man in Meredith's life and it was going to stay that way.

"Derek, you're going to tire yourself out. Have you been crouched like this since you left Sam's?"

He heard Izzie's sigh from the doorway. He turned around disinterestedly to notice her concerned face, and another one of an elder woman, behind her shoulder.

"It's nothing," he replied rather hoarsely. "I want to make sure she's okay."

"She will be," Izzie assured him softly. "We've seen much much worse cases here, I'm telling you. You must be exhausted, Mrs. Lawson here offered to stay with Meredith when I'm working-"

"I'm staying with her," Derek interrupted her immediately.

"Dere-"

"I'm staying with her," he repeated stubbornly. "I'm in no fit state to see patients anyway. Here is where I can be of any use at the moment."

"Leave them be, Isobel," Mrs. Lawson placed a hand on her shoulder beckoning her to walk out of the room.

Derek turned all his attention back to Meredith. She now looked much more peaceful. Her breathing evened out, she stopped talking in her sleep.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

**FLASHBACK**

Meredith felt their stares from the couch she was currently sitting at. She felt pity, worry and concern emanating from them. she didn't care much. Normally, she'd blow with anger, rage even. But right now every emotion she experienced was diffused, as though she was looking at the world through a heavy mist.

"Hey," Lexie and Helen took places on either side of her.

"I see you're eating," remarked her best friend, a tinge of sarcasm in her voice. Meredith didn't shrug as she fished another jelly from the cereal box and concentrated on the TV set on soap opera channel. "That's good."

"You know what else is good?" said Lexie. "Shower. Cleansing. You think you can get up from that couch and have a shower?"

"I'm good here, d'you think you can stop talking so I'm able to hear what they're saying?" Meredith snarled at them.

"Your ass is starting to rot on that couch!" Lexie finally exploded after weeks of tiptoeing around her. She wasn't her sister completely for nothing. "Mer, you can't go on like that! Do you even intend to go back to work, ever?"

Meredith snorted nastily. Work? It was the furthest thing on her mind. Or she wanted it to be so. In reality, she couldn't stop thinking about it and her humiliation. She despised her work and her talent. Moreover, the last months left her on the verge of physical exhaustion, she worked day and night to… to rectify her blunder, as she came to call it in her mind. And then she left the pharmaceutical company that turned out to be her funeral house, she would get violently sick if she had to go in there another day. At Mount Sinai she had an indeterminate leave of absence though it was only at Helen's doing. Meredith herself wanted to be let go altogether. Her friend reckoned that one day she would be ready to be a doctor again. But Meredith knew she wouldn't. Helen didn't have a faintest idea what she was going through. She would never go back, that was why she needed to numb herself down with stupid soap operas, to stop feeling anything at all.

"That's it!" Helen got to her feet and snatched the remote control away to turn off the TV. "This madness has to stop!"

"Hey! Give that back! I need to know if he's going to tell his wife that he slept with her daughter!"

"Meredith!" Lexie brought her hand to her mouth as though she was close to bursting in tears. "You can't waste your life like that! He's not-"

"My life is worthless anyway!" she rounded back at her.

"This is quite a blow to the ego," went on Helen. "What's with the thinking that you're a goddess?"

"I am not a goddess," Meredith laughed bitterly. "I'm a rag doll…"

"Mer, this is not like you," Helen said in a softer voice. "I know that bastard broke you but you don't throw in the towel! We don't throw in the towel!"

"I am not Meredith Grey anymore," she shook her head. "I am… no one, I wanna be no one…"

"You will never be no one," Helen murmured putting an arm around her shoulder. "And you're leaving that couch. You start to stink."

"No one forced you to sit next to me," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"Well, I am going to sit next to you for six hours on the plane so please take that shower," Lexie looked at her innocently.

"What plane?" she sighed tiredly. "You know, I don't care what you cooked up. I just want to be left alone, with me and my TiVo."

"That's a shame, you're going to miss a couple of episodes while we're in Vegas," Lexie said smugly.

Meredith didn't say anything and continued to chew on her cereal.

"What, aren't you going to yell? Scream that you're not going anywhere?" asked Lexie.

"No, it's no use arguing with insane people," she shrugged disinterestedly.

"Get your ass up, you have a plane to catch," Helen rubbed her hands. "I would go with you but you know I can't leave my department at the moment. I have enough absences already, another one coming in less than a year. Remember about that?" she looked pointedly at Meredith.

"Oh, don't try to guilt talk me, there are enough fine neurosurgeons."

"I don't want fine, I want the best. And you are going to Las Vegas whether you like it or not."

"I'd like to see you try and make me," she snorted childishly. "And honestly, did you steal my credit card? You can't afford wild trips to Vegas. Did you pay for that?" she looked at Helen accusatorily. "You're more unhinged than I am, and that is saying something!"

"I would gladly cover the cost," Helen shrugged off. "But it wasn't me."

"Daddy paid for everything," smiled Lexie.

"Dad paid for out trip to the Sin City?" snorted Meredith. "Unbelievable!"

"Well, he's not as conservative as we thought," grinned Lexie. "He told me to warn you, no alcohol or boys."

Meredith slapped herself on the forehead. "Is this a freaky Friday or something? I am not going anywhere!"

"Okay first, me and Lex can take you," said Helen. "You're thinner than a flea. Second, if you choose not to cooperate… we'll call your mother."

"You wouldn't," hissed Meredith.

"Oh, you know I would. I will," laughed Helen.

"So, shower," sighed Lexie with self-satisfaction. "It's gonna be fun, Mer! I've never been to Vegas! And there's this town I found in the guidebook, Rachel, it's known for UFO sightings-"

"I hate both of you," Meredith grumbled and dragged herself to the bathroom. Once she was alone in the small room, she slid to the floor against the door. She just wanted to disappear, like she was never there.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith sat up on her suitcase tiredly and eyed the scene of final destruction around her, a.k.a. her loft after several hours of unpacking.

It just hit her, the full impact of what she had done. She opened one of the boxes Lexie, Helen and Molly fedexed it from New York and it turned out to be her diplomas… Premed, med school, countless prizes, achievements, Harper Averys. All her former life was condensed into that box. Her dreams, hopes, ambitions. Her effort, her toil, unshed tears of frustration, her successes and subsequent rise to fame in her field.

And she threw it all away with one signature of hers on the employment contract in Rachel's only practice. She threw it all away, as the chief of surgery at Mount Sinai pitilessly pointed out over the phone.

However, two weeks after her impulsive decision, she didn't regret it one iota. She was not throwing away her life. She was leaving behind the hurt, betrayal of trust, ruthless inhumane cruelty she was subjected to… She was breaking the chain, catching the lifeline. She was following the light at the end of the tunnel.

It was easier to exist here, she wouldn't call it living yet. But she felt like a human being again. She was treated like a human being again even if Rachel's inhabitants were still a little wary of her. They didn't trust her. But she was tough, she was just reminding herself that she was though. And William Shepherd was of immense help. He was polite, he didn't ask questions, he just made the impression that he'd listen whenever she was ready. He watched over her, she felt it. He was watching over her in a non-invasive way. No exchange of worried looks, conversations quieting down when she entered a room, no faces fearful she might throw herself from the twentieth floor onto the scorching sidewalk of New York.

She grabbed the box with determination written on her face and heaved it up on her closet and out the way. Out of sight, out of heart.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

She stared at him, listless, when William passed her the scalpel.

"Take it!" he growled at her.

She obediently grabbed the handle of the blade but it seemed to burn her fingers.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" he roared as he disinfected the skin stretching over their patient's throat. "She's suffocating! What the hell are you waiting for?"

"You do it!" she pleaded with desperation in her voice pushing the scalpel into his direction. "I can't- I can't!"

"Who's the surgeon here? Do what you were born for or have that woman's life on your conscience!"

Meredith's fingers grasped around the handle as she watched the woman twitch on the bed, her air supply blocked. Just a single bee sting. Allergic reaction. Anaphylactic shock. Her throat was so swollen she couldn't breathe. Tracheotomy was the only way to save her life. Precious seconds passed as Meredith stood undecided, her hands trembling. It was nothing compared to a brain surgery but she was damn scared. She didn't cut since… she couldn't remember for how long.

The sun coming from the window glinted and skated on the blade.

Cut.

She was about to cut.

She had to.

To save that woman's life.

She felt a wave of heat flowing to her fingers, to her every nerve ending. She could do this. She was Meredith Grey. This was her nature. Cutting. Raw flesh. Blood.

Not wasting another second she sank the knife into her skin and made a smooth laceration over the woman's trachea. The bag was swiftly connected to her airways and enabling the lungs to breathe.

"Beautiful job," William praised her with a relieved smile.

"Thank you," she nodded gratefully squeezing the bag rhythmically. Her patient wasn't only one who started to breathe again. She was pumping the air into her own system. She saved a life. She cut. She didn't hate her calling anymore. But… she didn't feel the love for it either. It all came back to her, the steadiness of her hands, cool-headedness, precision… but not love for what she was doing. She was glad she managed to save a life, but how she did it, she felt emotionally indifferent towards it. It was good though, she shrugged to herself. It meant she was not going to crave being back in the OR, back in a big hospital, back doing fancy trials, when she got unbroken. If she got unbroken one day.

"You did good," William said quietly as when she joined him in the corridor.

"I did terrible by my usual standards," she rolled her eyes. "She barely avoided brain damage due to my tardiness. Thanks for shaking me up by the way."

"Ah, well," he actually looked apologetic now the emotions died down. "I wanted to apologize for it."

"Please, if I had to apologize to everyone I had lashed out at, I would still be in New York, apologizing," she smiled.

"How did it feel?" he asked quietly and she knew he was asking about the tracheotomy.

"I… normal… you know? I can live without surgery," she said letting a deep relaxed breath. "I can. I don't miss it. I am free. I can live here."

"Good," he nodded and prodded her downstairs putting a protective arm around her shoulders. "Let's go to Cristina's before she throws our dinner to the chickens."

She chuckled slightly. What a surreal thing to hear it would have been in her past life. But now it was her reality. Unexpectedly, Rachel became her home and she could finally allow herself to feel it.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

Meredith opened her eyes, slightly disorientated. It was dark. When did it get so dark? Last things she remembered was walking away from Derek on the Sam's ranch and the pain after being bitten by the rattlesnake.

She sighed heavily rubbing her face. She felt clammy, like the sweat on her body cooled down. Her left hand felt warm though, warm and heavy. She tried to move it but it was stuck. As she tried to free it, there was a sudden stir beside her and a sleepy yelp.

"Mer?" She heard… Derek's scratchy voice.

"Derek?" she coughed out. "What are you… what are you doing here?"

"Mer, you're awake," he sighed with joyous relief, propping his forehead against hers, breathing deeply. "I was so worried…"

"I was out…" she realized slowly. "From the venom. How long?"

"Well, it's… after midnight," he said checking his watch in the light coming from the streetlamp outside. "So about… nine hours."

"Stupid snake," she grumbled and jerked suddenly, "Sam! How is he? What's his-"

"Mer, Meredith! Calm down, please," he pleaded, trying to lie her back on the bed. "And frankly… I don't know…"

"How do you not know?" she frowned in the darkness.

"I… I left that room only once the whole day, for the bathroom," he admitted.

"You… sat by my bedside the whole time?" she gasped.

"I… yeah, I did."

A moment of silence followed.

"I'm sorry," he sighed.

"For what?"

"Maybe you don't want me here…" he trailed off, trying to keep the bitterness from his voice and the image of Meredith whispering another man's name out of his head. "I'm sorry I snapped at you… back then. I had no right…"

"I'm sorry too," she admitted reluctantly. "And I... I don't mind you here. I mean, I like you being here…"

"You do? Sometimes I'm not sure…"

"Derek, I might not be so graceful about it… but I want you here," she whispered in a small voice. "Derek…"

This time warmth flew in his veins when he heard his name spoken so softly by her, erasing any reminder of Mitch. His name was most often on her lips now. When they talked, joked, laughed, when they had sex…

"Meredith, I'm so glad you're okay…" he uttered hoarsely.

"It was nothing," she shrugged off, clearing her throat. "Just a snake bite. You can go to bed now. Go to my loft, my bed is more comfortable than any of these."

"I… don't feel like going to bed. I'll stay for the night, in case you need anything."

"Not on this chair, you won't!" Meredith insisted. "There's no need, I'm fine now!"

"Okay, not on this chair," he agreed, stood up and took his shoes off. Seconds later he was climbing on the bed beside her.

"Derek, I'm… sweaty and ick," she sighed. "I didn't have my shower, I probably smell."

"I'm reminding you that I spent the whole time with you," he chuckled, pressing close to her. "We can smell together."

She giggled and allowed herself to nuzzle her head into the crook of his neck, inhaling his musky scent, the perfume of the laundry detergent, vestiges of his aftershave, a tinge of sweat. She had a thousand reasons to run, they swirled in her head and pierced her heart. But it felt too good to be in his arms right now. Too good to move. Comfortable, safe and homey. Like she never had felt before, like no man could have made her feel before. She would worry about that later, right now she just wanted to sleep in Derek's arms.

"Derek…" she sighed softly and his heart gave another flutter. "Thank you…"

"No, thank you, Meredith," he whispered into her hair when he felt her breath deepen as sleep claimed her back.


	23. Chapter 23: Thief In The Night

**A/N Thank you for all your wonderful comments, ladies! This update may seem a bit fillerish**** but I hope you enjoy. :)**

Contrary to what he had told Meredith quarter of an hour ago, Derek didn't go the grocery store right away but walked past a couple of gaps between buildings (he wasn't sure if they could be qualified as streets) and entered Cristina's inn. The town center was only beginning to wake up from the night's sleep even if it was already past 8 a.m.

"McDreamy," the snarky innkeeper greeted him at the reception desk. "Shouldn't you be back at the practice, attached to my person's hip as usual, or kneeling at her bedside?"

"How do you…?"

"I came over yesterday to see Mer," she rolled her eyes. "I don't think you heard me, I thought you wanted to wake her up staring at her."

"Well," he cleared his throat, only a bit embarrassed. "I was worried…"

"So was I. How is she?"

"Good, good. The worst patient in the world though," he chuckled.

"That's why you did a runner?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

"I did not do a runner," he replied, slightly offended. "I went shopping."

"Interesting. So you're here because…?"

Derek stepped from foot to foot nervously, glanced around and braced himself pose the question, "Should I be… should I be worried about Mitch?"

He could tell he hit the jackpot as Cristina choked and dropped the cloth with which she was wiping the counter.

She narrowed her eyes at him and hissed, "What did you just say?"

"I… I asked if I should be-"

"Shut up!" she silenced him. "How do you know about Mitch? She didn't tell you, I'm sure she didn't. Have you been trying to find something on her behind her back?"

"No!" he gasped, his voice raising an octave as he launched to explain. "Yesterday, she had a fever. I don't know if she was dreaming or what… She mumbled his name… repeatedly."

Cristina let out a deep heavy sigh pinching the bridge of her nose. "And you're going behind her back and asking me-"

"I don't want her to run," Derek argued insistently. "It's like I can't ask her about anything from her past because she starts to pull away. Just like yesterday, we had a fight just before she was… bitten by the snake."

"Well, it's not for me to tell," she said dismissively.

"I'm not asking you to tell me," desperation was clearly etched in his voice. "I'm not going to pry. It's not my curiosity but I need to know, should I be worried about this Mitch guy?"

"What do you mean by that?" she frowned in confusion.

"It's the guy she had been engaged to, isn't he?"

"And why would you of all people be worried about her ex?"

"I… I need to know if… if she thinks about him when she's with me or…" he combed his hair with his fingers, weary frustration washing over him.

"Huh." Her beady eyes fixed on him again. "Why do you care? You're just-"

"I know," he cut her midsentence, "I know. I'm here just for two months and we're just a summer fling. Well, somehow I care and I make no excuses for it."

She nodded and said after a while, "You don't need to worry about Mitch. If Mer said his name dreaming, it was a nightmare she was having."

"Does she… does she have feelings for him?"

"God, you're insecure," Cristina rolled her eyes. "You failed to make her come or what? Mitch is not going to suddenly appear in Rachel and sweep her off her feet, I can make that promise to you. Meredith doesn't love him, she hates him. And even if she did love him or wanted to get back to him, she wouldn't find him. And I think I've said enough," she stated with a finality in her voice.

"Thank you," he breathed out.

"Whatever. Just… I don't think we should advertise that we had this little chat. I practically told you nothing but Meredith won't see it that way. She'd make a mountain out of molehill. And honestly, I don't think you should mention Mitch to her… at all."

"I'll keep my mouth shut," he sighed, nodded at her and walked out.

"Good morning, Dr. Shepherd," a man Derek was pretty sure he had never met before greeted him walking past on the sidewalk.

"Er, good morning," he answered politely. He was almost sure it wasn't one of the few patients he had treated in Rachel. He could be at the barn raising yesterday though… Probably that was it.

"Morning, Dr. Shepherd!" a woman carrying a bag of groceries zoomed past him without a second glance.

He frowned. He couldn't remember ever meeting that woman either. He shrugged and resumed his walk to the store.

"Hello, Doc," another man nodded at him at the door.

"Morning, doctor, how're you doing?" a young woman smiled at him. "Hi, Dr. Shepherd!" piped her small daughter.

He went into the store in the state of dazed disbelief. He must have stepped into a parallel dimension. Everything around looked like Rachel but the people… They behaved towards him like they always behaved towards Meredith. Strange. What had changed overnight?

"Dr. Shepherd," a woman who looked quite familiar this time halted beside him in front of the shelf with rice.

"I… eh, hello," he stammered with an apologetic smile.

"I'm Audrey Lawson, very nice to meet you," she grinned at him and shook his hand before he even reached it out. "I popped in to the practice yesterday to see if Meredith needed anything but it seemed like you'd got everything covered."

"Oh, right," he nodded remembering yesterday's events. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me," she waved her hand dismissively. "We look after our girl. And how is she? We've been all worried!"

"She's good, just needs her rest now."

"But she'll be able to come on Friday, won't she?" a brief concern flickered on the lady's face.

"Come… where?" he asked.

"Oh, haven't you heard, Dr. Shepherd? The annual Rachel fair is this Friday, it's Rachel's birthday in fact. 196th anniversary of town foundation."

"Really? That's interesting."

"So there's a fair. Competitions, excellent food from our lovely ladies… and you don't have to worry about Chloe Bishop, of course, she didn't even volunteer this year," she whispered conspiratorially. "And after everything, there's a dance. You need to come with our Meredith!"

"Oh, I'd-"

"I can't imagine you not being there in fact!" she all but yelped. "You're one of the founders' descendants! In straight line too. The other families, well, expect one, are still represented, but by the mother's side."

"And that one family?" Derek asked curiously. He loved to hear stories about his family. It made him feel more rooted here. And it looked like the Shepherds were a kind of nobility here at some point.

"The Averys," Mrs. Lawson replied, beaming.

"Oh," his voice faltered somewhat.

"They seem to be going stronger than the Shepherds these days," she let out a sort of tut tut.

"Really?" he asked rather sourly.

"One of the biggest families in Rachel," she went on. "And you're here all alone… How old are you by the way, hon?"

"I… I'm thirty-five…" he cleared his throat.

"It's a perfect time for a man to start thinking about settling down, marrying, siring a couple of children…"

He swallowed hard when she winked at him. Surely, she wasn't hitting on him, right? he cringed. She must have known she was a bit… well, too old to have those couple of children.

"Anyway, I see you and Meredith at the fair if not sooner, right?" she smiled and left him standing there, bemused. He should better hurry up with his shopping. Maybe the cashier would be hit with temporary insanity too and wouldn't attempt to pretend the card terminal was broken.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Meredith, what are you doing?" he frowned entering the kitchen to find her leaning into the fridge.

"What?"

"You're supposed to be in bed, resting," he reminded her sternly.

"You're obsessed," she grumbled and he knew she had just rolled her eyes on him even if she was turned back from him. She was clearly showered and already dressed.

"I am not obsessed. And you could show more understanding for my concern. You were unconscious for nine hours yesterday after being bitten by a highly venomous snake! You could have died!"

"Don't overdramatize," she shrugged off and eyed two full grocery bags he carried in. "Are you going to whip up some breakfast? There's nothing in the fridge."

"I am. On the condition that you get back to bed!" he admonished and shooed her away from the counter.

"I'm not going back to bed. I need to have my breakfast and go to work. Do my job."

"Oh no, you're not. You've not been cleared."

She stopped in her tracks, her eyes as thin as slits of that unfortunate rattlesnake. "I don't need a clearance."

"Yeah, you do. I'm your doctor," he smirked, a bit too smugly perhaps.

"Seriously? What do you know about snake bites?" she snorted. "Zero."

"You know, I'm not going to pick a fight with you," he said calmly leaving unpacking the shopping for a moment and turning to her.

"Good, glad we're on agreement-"

"We're not on agreement," it was his turn to snort as he walked up to her.

She backed half a step self-consciously. She did not like that expression of his, not a bit.

"I'm not going to argue with you because it's pointless," he chuckled. "You have a stubborn little head. I just need to be proactive."

"Wha-?"

She didn't even finish her word when he lunged at her and lifted her up in his arms effortlessly, a wicked grin on his face.

"Put me down, you brute!" she shrieked pounding on his back with her fists, the only thing achieved being her sore knuckles. She gasped in humiliation when she felt his palm slap her ass patronizingly. She was fuming when he finally put her down, straight into the bed in her loft. He immediately took of her shoes, pulled at her shorts dragging them off her legs and threw a blanket over her.

"Who do you think you are?" she bellowed and wondered if he was half deaf already. She tried to sit up but his hands pushed down at her arms steadily.

"You are staying in bed and resting today, Mer," he repeated slowly but clearly. "And I swear, if you don't stop fighting me, I'll get restraints. Not exactly how I wanted to tie you up but we'll make it work," he flashed her a grin.

"I hate you," she growled lowly and wrenched her hands out of his grip and tried to stop the mortifying pulsating feeling in her girl parts.

"You wish you did," he chuckled and leaned forward. "Though I'm not sure I dare kiss you right now. You might want to bite off my tongue."

"I can't spend another day in bed!" she tried to reason with him. "I have responsibilities, patients!"

"I'll take care of the practice," he assured her.

She let out a bog snort. "Yeah, right. I like this place, I like my job. I'm not gonna set you loose all by yourself!"

"And why not? Everybody loves me," he smirked.

She choked with laughter. "You meant everybody hates you?"

"No, they don't anymore," he smiled. "I went out and everyone I met was… nice to me. 'Hello, Dr. Shepherd. How do you do, Dr. Shepherd?' Feels good."

Her forehead frowned in confusion.

"Although I think Mrs. what's her name… Mrs. Lawson likes me a bit too much…" he scrunched his face. "She kept throwing in some comments about making babies."

Meredith clamped her jaws shut going slightly red on the face and praying Derek wouldn't notice. He clearly didn't cotton on what Mrs. Lawson was hinting at. Thank god! He was already much too clingy for their little arrangement.

"And she talked about some fair on Friday? Will you go to the dance with me?" he grinned at her.

"Huh?" she sighed blankly, her heart beating faster.

"Good," he smiled and quickly pressed a little kiss to her pouting lips. "I'll get on with that breakfast."

Her head began to pound as she watched him walk out. Why did he try so hard to get her used to his presence? He worried about her, cared about her, was at her side practically all the time. And now it seemed that for some reason the town had accepted him. Why was he trying to gain a permanent spot in her life? It would only make things harder when he was to leave. And he had to.

**A/N The next chapter is a milestone in Derek and Meredith's relationship. ;)**

**Em **


	24. Chapter 24: The Way You Look Tonight

**A/N I meant to post that yesterday buy forgot… sorry!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

"I think it's too much," Meredith scrutinized her reflection in the mirror critically. "Do you think it's too much?"

"Of course not," Izzie rolled her eyes behind her and beamed at her. "You look gorgeous, Derek will love it!"

"Hmm." Meredith sighed smoothing over her dress. Yes, she knew Derek would love it. She donned on a short halter-top dress. Red. Hugging her body like a second skin. Practically screaming-

"It's practically screaming fuck me," Cristina quipped from her place in the corner of the room.

"Yeah, that's what I mean," nodded Meredith, looking at her thankfully.

"On the other hand, you want him to fuck you, so no fuss."

"Ugh, I don't want him to think I'm dressing up just for him," Meredith rolled her eyes and tugged at her hair nervously.

"Why not? It's completely normal that you want to look good for your boyfriend," said Izzie, not tweaking her own dress, shockingly white.

"Derek is not my boyfriend," Meredith quickly shook her head.

"Did you split up?" the blonde stared at her with worry.

"No," snorted Meredith. "We're just… not an item! There hasn't been anything to split up from the beginning!"

"Then what are you?"

"Oh, they're just… just friends," snickered Cristina. "Sexy friends."

"I don't know why it is so shocking," Meredith shrugged off. "You know he's leaving next month, what did you expect? A marriage proposal?" she laughed and Cristina joined her in.

"I wouldn't put it past Derek," replied patiently Izzie. "He seems very at home."

"Who wouldn't?" snorted Cristina. "Just like that he's got a house, a practice and a sexy blonde to fuck at his beck and call."

"That's not what I meant," Izzie put her hands on her hips. "He feels good here, especially after everyone has got to like him."

"Yeah, that was a shocker," frowned Meredith.

"Oh, come on, Mer," Cristina drawled leaning back in the armchair. "You know the reason behind his sudden popularity surge."

"I don't," she coughed to cover her discomfort.

"They saw him carry you to the car and then to the practice after you fainted, he became sort of a hero," explained Izzie.

"He didn't do anything!" Meredith insisted stubbornly. "He didn't even do the shot!"

"But he spent the night by your side," reminded Izzie. "That's not nothing. That's tenderness, loyalty, that's devotion. Everyone thinks you're in love."

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Meredith yelped exasperatedly. "We are not in love!"

"Fine, Derek means absolutely nothing to you," Izzie rolled her eyes and urged them downstairs. "Come on, Alex might be here any minute to pick me up and somehow I don't want him and Derek left unattended."

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Sorry you had to wait. I was pulled over again to listen to another story about my family," Derek murmured apologetically handing her a glass of wine he brought from the table. "I remember you mentioning something about family chronicles my uncle was writing…. I tried looking for them in his study today but didn't find anything amongst thousands of volumes of history books."

"I… I actually have it at my place," she replied. "I took it with me from the house after he passed away… as a reminder of him. It's like hearing his voice when I read it. I spent many evening on his porch listening to the fascinating stories…"

"It's okay. I would like to have a look at it, if you don't mind."

She smiled at his excited grin and took a sip. "You seem to be having a good time here. Everyone is fawning over you for a change…"

"It feels good not to be the enemy anymore," he agreed. "Feels good to be here with you…" His eyes turned stormy indigo when they took in every inch of her greedily. "Have I told you already that you look stunning?"

"Hm, no," she quipped. "You only said amazing, beautiful, gorgeous, sexy, breathtaking-"

"And delicious," he all but growled quietly so that only she could hear.

"Yeah, what are you going to do about it?" she stared at him challengingly from above her glass. Hell, Cristina was right. She did want him to fuck her. He looked so yummy and sexy and steamy… That was probably his best suit he was wearing and all she wanted was to grab his silk blue tie and play a little dominatrix with him. Or he could be dominating her…

"When we're out of here, and I hope it'll be soon," he murmured, his face inches from hers, "I'm gonna tear that flimsy thing from your body, leaving you completely naked. You should not be allowed to wear any clothes, ever. You should walk as bare as you were born all the time…"

She felt herself going redder. And wetter. "Really?" her voice was quivering. "You'd want me to go naked. Here?"

He only laughed. "Oh, I wouldn't let you out of the house. I'd keep you as my sex slave."

She choked on her wine. "Excuse me? If anything, you'd be my slave!"

"Either way works," he shrugged, "but you know, I've changed my mind. I don't think I'm gonna make it to the bedroom tonight. I'll pull up the car on the side of the road-"

"That would be me," she smirked smugly, "as I'm the one who drives."

He rolled his eyes. "You're ruining my dirty talk. Anyway, we'll pull up on the side of the road and I'll just hitch that dress up over your thighs, just to…"

"Fuck me…" she finished for him helpfully.

"Yeah," he chuckled. "Unfortunately, we still have some time to kill," he sighed watching the crowd in the makeshift dance floor.

"Uhm… you wanna dance?" she asked quietly.

"Oh, I… I don't dance," he cleared his throat.

"You don't dance? You invited me to a dance and you don't dance?"

"I invited you to have a nice time with you. And I'm… really bad at dancing. Disaster more like. And embarrassing…"

"Okay…" she quirked up one eyebrow. Derek seemed mildly embarrassed as he openly confessed his lack of dancing skills. "We don't have to dance."

"Thank God," he let out a sigh of relief and she couldn't help but giggle.

Before she could answer, a man in cowboy boots and gruffly buttoned shirt came up to them.

"Doc, would like to dance?" he smiled at her.

"Sure, Kyle," she said looking quickly at Derek. "You'll be okay here?"

"Yeah," he assured her and watched the man lead her into the crowd by the hand. He didn't really like it but he was hopeless at dancing and it was not like that guy was any competition for him. At least that was what he tried to tell himself…

To his displeasure, the song changed barely seconds after they started to dance. It was no longer fast and lively. It was slow, romantic, sensual. Derek's jaws clenched hard as his eyes fixed on Meredith and the cowboy guy. He was cracking jokes, Meredith was laughing. Thankfully there was some distance between them even if they were slow dancing. Apparently the man was well aware she was out of bounds.

_I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight,  
I've never seen you shine so bright,  
I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance,  
They're looking for a little romance, given half a chance,  
And I have never seen that dress you're wearing,  
Or the highlights in your hair that catch your eyes,  
I have been blind__._

She was by far the most beautiful woman in here. Scratch that, he was the most beautiful woman he had ever set his eyes on. Her petite yet sporty figure. Her tanned freckled skin. The blonde hair that was much too long and flaxen than any of the women he had gone out with would ever allow. Yet the pure golden tresses felt so good in between his fingers, smelled so enchantingly when he buried his face in them. Her features, delicate yet hardened at the same time. Her emerald orbs that were so expressive, that tended to betray her thoughts and emotions. The lips barely touched with a lip gloss, he was addicted to them, addicted to their touch on his body.

And there were the secrets of Meredith that were hidden under her dress. He prided himself in the fact that he was the only one here to be privy to them. Of course, there was that Mitch, somewhere out there in the world. Mitch, whose name she whispered in her fever. Yet Cristina assured him, Meredith's ex was no longer in her heart. He chose to believe that, he wanted to believe it so much.

_I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight,  
I've never seen you shine so bright, you were amazing,  
I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side,  
And when you turned to me and smiled, it took my breath away_

Suddenly, Meredith, whom he was at the moment facing away from, cocked her head looking over her shoulder. Her eyes infallibly found him in the spot where she left him. Her lips stretched in a smile, her whole face beamed, her eyes laughed. He felt the pull. Not only of physical attraction. A tug of longing at his heart, at the core of his soul. Which was utterly unreasonable, he realized. She was just in front of him, he was looking at her. And yet… he missed her, longed for her with all his being. It was good kind of missing, it warming his heart. What was that exactly? He had never felt anything as tremendous and exhilarating as this closely unidentified feeling. All he knew was that his mind was no longer in control of his actions. He deposited the wine glass onto the table and made his way towards her.

"May I?" he asked not even looking at Meredith's dance partner.

"Sure, Doc. Thank you for the dance, Doc," Kyle smiled and left them to themselves.

"You said you didn't dance," Meredith said looking at him with amusement written all over her face as one of his arms tightly circled her waist. The fingers of his other hand intertwined with hers.

"I thought I'd make an exception," he murmured when they started to sway slowly, "for my lady in red."

"Oh, I'm honored," she giggled, her palm moving over his back, at the level of his shoulder blades and down his spine.

"Please don't. Wait to see if you have any toes left after that song."

"Seriously?" she laughed throwing her head back and closing her eyes in mirth.

"I am truly a terrible dancer," he replied, laughter clear in his voice, and leaned closer to her, inhaling the lavender scent he knew was due to her conditioner.

_The lady in red is dancing with me, cheek to cheek,  
There's nobody here, it's just you and me,  
It's where I want to be_

Barely concealed excitement was bubbling inside him, threatening to explode out of his skin. It was inexplicable, powerful and mystical. If he was too choose a moment in which he would like to live for all eternity, this was pretty close to win. With his sudden realization minutes before, her sweet curvy form closely enveloped with his, the gentle sway of their bodies. He closed his eyes as his cheek grazed hers. It was a moment, a split second that would be forever engraved in his memory, his very heart.

_But I hardly know this beauty by my side,  
I'll never forget the way you look tonight_

He did know so little about her. Her name was Meredith Grey. She was an intelligent, kindhearted doctor. An independent spitfire. She had been badly hurt three and a half years ago. She had lived in Seattle and New York and now Rachel was her home. She had two sisters but didn't grow up with them. She wasn't on speaking terms with her mother. She had a voracious sexual appetite. She didn't know how to cook. She was a slob. She was a romantic at heart knowing she adored the stories about his family. She loved the music of the 80's.

That was more or less the condensed set of facts he knew about her. There was still so much that remained mystery. However, in this split second it was all unimportant, her secrets, her reluctance to share. Right now, he felt like he knew her all along. As if he had waited all his life to meet her. His… soul mate?

_The lady in red is dancing with me, cheek to cheek,  
There's nobody here, it's just you and me,  
It's where I want to be,  
But I hardly know this beauty by my side,  
I'll never forget the way you look tonight;_

I never will forget the way you look tonight...  
The lady in red, the lady in red,  
The lady in red, my lady in red,

I love you...

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Pull up, pull up," he laughed reaching his hand to place it on her leg, just above her knee, only to tantalizingly drag it along her thigh, creasing up the material of her dress.

"Just… just a little further down the road," she breathed out deeply. Driving proved very difficult with the distracting weight of his palm that just dived to her inner thigh. "Damn, do you want me to crash?" she cried when she felt the pads of his fingers at the soaked material of her panties covering her impatient opening.

"I want you to pull up," he murmured hoarsely. She was so wet for him already…

Meredith hit the brakes and hardly turned off the engine when she tore herself from her seat to straddle his lap, helped by his eager hands. Her lips found his, beginning a passionate mating dance of their tongues that took their breath away all too quickly.

Just as he had promised at the dance, he pulled the hem of her crimson dress up her lean thighs, past her hips, uncovering her to him. Her long fingers tugged at his raven locks desperately leaving them in complete disarray seconds after they touched them. Her hips buckled into his bulging groin out of their own volition.

He let out a moan of impatience into her mouth at the sight of her panties. Not that there was something wrong with the poor panties. They were red, lacy and skimpy. But at the moment they were shielding from him his ultimate destination and the source of greatest pleasure he had known, Meredith's sweet pussy. That was a mortal sin in his eyes.

He grabbed the delicate material at her hipbones and pulled it apart. The sound of ripping lace joined the lapping of tongues, heavy pants and groans as wells as the rhythmical squeaks of Derek's seat.

Feeling the cool air on her damp sensitive flesh, and disregarding her ruined underwear completely, she abandoned the task of messing with Derek's hair (which he was sure would lead to his premature baldness one day) and busied herself with freeing Derek's raging erection to the world. Suddenly she leaned over him groping for something in the dark and he fell back with an amused yelp as the seat lowered back.

"Condom?" he grunted, keenly massaging her thighs.

"Pill," she murmured biting on his ear. Her outstretched palms rested on his lower abdomen as she ground herself against him, positioning her ripe lips over the tip of his swollen length, that was already glistening with precum.

"Pill…" he repeated after her, entering a completely new level of excitement and anticipation. They were going to connect without any barriers for the first time. He was going to take her whole… He was going to feel her naked walls on the equally bare skin of his penis. He was going to cum inside her and she would accept his seed in her sweet depths.

Just then, she sank to welcome him inside her. They couldn't help moaning at the new experience. They relished the new level of friction as they pushed and pulled, withdrew and thrust, with the familiarity they acquired over the past weeks. He pried his eyes opened wide to take in as much of her as possible. She was a vision to behold and he wanted to memorize each tiny detail of her, of them, of that night, the best night of his life as he realized with excited surprise…

Oh, God, this woman… His eyes felt moist for some reason. He didn't cry during sex, he was not that guy but dear god… she was making him feel things…

Her green pools of eyes opened as though sensing the vibes going from him. She held his gaze steadily, which wasn't easy as her eyes wanted to roll back in pleasure every time his iron rod hit her up hard and deep. A dazed breathless smile played on her parted lips continuously. Just a couple of seconds, only a few times they would meet halfway and they would both explode. Just a bit, just a flex of her hips, a buckle up of his…

And then his voice carried in the car, his quivering voice forming actual words between spastic pants. "I love you…"

Even in her haze and tensed anticipation of incoming orgasm she could not mistake his words.

"What…?" she gasped breathlessly hopping off, making his penis completely slip out of her.

He swallowed hard, his chest heaved up and down so fast it was almost painful. It was certainly making him lightheaded. Blood was pounding in his head. He correctly recognized the fear in her eyes. He was sure his own eyes were mirroring it. Should he deny it? Turn it into a joke? A sudden surge of bravery gripped his heart as he realized the full impact of what he had declared. Moreover, he knew he only spoke the truth. He just realized it but he knew… he knew that he loved her.

"I love you," he repeated, his voice quiet but strong.

"You mean…" she gulped, pushing her hair off her face nervously. "You mean you love… this, right? The sex, the orgasms."

"That too, but I meant that I love you."

"I… you… like a friend, right?" she asked, taking a panicky tone. "Like a friend?"

"Like a woman," he answered firmly though this situation was slowly killing him. He was still painfully hard as they broke their connection seconds before reaching the finish line. He just bared his soul to her and nothing seemed to suggest the first woman to whom he professed his love was going to say it back. Yet, he still clarified, "I'm in love with you."

"No!" she all but yelled trying to move away from as though he was burning her skin. "No! You don't… you do not… You can't! We said, we agreed… No!"

"Meredith!" he pleaded with desperation in his voice, gripping her and pulling her to him to prevent the great escape. "Mer, please!"

"No! Let me…. Let me go!" she gasped and struggled against him on his lap.

"Shit," he hissed lowly as she buckled against him. "Mer, don't… oh god, don't fight me!"

She was inadvertently, and certainly despite all her intentions, grinding against his hardness continuing giving him pleasure, very tortuous pleasure right now.

"Let me… let me… go…"

"Mer, don't!" he yelped but it was too late. At that very moment, he had little control over everything, the situation, Meredith, and surely his penis.

His abdomen and testicles tensed and seconds later he felt the desperate release pouring out of him. his penis twitched between them shooting up his seed. He closed his eyes in humiliation waiting for the last drop of semen to make its way out. He was never a premature ejaculator. Love really seemed to change people.

He realized the car went eerily silent and motionless. Meredith was definitely still and speechless on his knees. Finally, he dared to open his eyes to face the devastation. Well, he was already feeling it soaking through his best Versace pants and his silk shirt. His tie didn't escape unscathed either.

He cracked his eyelids open with a beating mortified heart. The first thing he saw was Meredith, precariously seated on his legs, with a very confused expression on her face. And not only that… His sperm was like everywhere, including her chin, the valley of her breasts and all over her belly. Ah, the so-called advantages of the pill…

"I… uhm…" he cleared his throat, his face heating up, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she said quickly, too quickly. "I think we should call it a night… get… home or whatever. And we can forget all about… it," she underlined the last word, her eyes sweeping her sticky dress and his now flaccid penis. However, he knew well enough that she didn't mean only his less than fortunate incident. She meant his confession… For a moment, a rage flared in his chest. He was being an adult. He was expressing his feelings, being honest with her. And she trampled it all over. But then again, she didn't ask for any of it. She had expressly stipulated that she was not in for a long-term relationship. And was he really? Meredith wouldn't leave Rachel for anything in the world. And the idea of leaving New York for good seemed unimaginable for him.

He didn't protest when she slid off his lap to the driver's seat and pulled a packet of tissues from her handbag.

"Ugh, it's… no use…" she sighed soon abandoning any attempt of cleaning herself up. "It's just… too much…"

Yes, suddenly it was all just too much. He rubbed his forehead absent-mindedly and a peal of laughter escaped his throat. He was screwed and he knew it but he couldn't do anything about it at the moment. And he had just released his load all over the car. He could definitely do with a laugh. Especially when Meredith's sweet giggles reached his ears.

**A/N It was kind of a milestone… ;) **

**Tell me if you want the next chapter, it's ready.**

**Em **


	25. Chapter 25: Night Blindness

**A/N Thank you for all the messages, you're awesome!**

**I've been constantly forgetting to put this author's note but it's quite important. ;) Meredith is an avoider, she is dead scared of having a relationship involving deeper feeling and trust, and there is a very important reason for that! No, she was not raped, as some of you have asked me in your msgs, nor did she go through a bad break-up. What happened to her hurt her both personally and professionally. And I promise you will know not that far from now.**

**Please, enjoy!**

Derek watched with a sort of quiet resignation Meredith getting dressed and bustling to start a new day. She had brought avoidance techniques to perfection since that memorable night in the jeep, his badly timed love confession and even worse timed release. Oh, they still spent a lot of time together. But they weren't talking, not really. When they weren't otherwise occupied, Meredith seemed determined to fill every vacuous minute with sex. And then sleep, or pretending to be asleep. She was clearly scared he would bring on the topic of love again.

He decided not to, he was giving her space. He was being the bigger man. As much as it pained him. His realization of his feelings for Meredith was exciting, it was liberating. And now he had to stifle them inside him. What was even worse was the fact that his compliance didn't seem to work. He thought that maybe Meredith would stop fretting if he didn't mention his feeling for her again but it was not the case. The days went by and her nervousness didn't pass. She was always on her guard as if afraid of being attacked by her own shadow.

"Not now, Cristina." He heard her mutter into her phone as she flipped it shut. So she was avoiding everyone… He assumed naturally she would have freaked out to her person by now. The way she just stopped the conversation told him otherwise. Why was she as agitated as to bottle everything inside? Why hadn't she shared anything with Cristina? Was it, his heart fluttered hopefully, because there were her own feelings involved? Feelings she didn't want to admit, perhaps… Maybe his confession led her to some kind of realization of her own?

"You're avoiding Cristina as well?" he asked from the bed, propping himself on one elbow.

"What?" she asked abruptly.

"I thought I was the only one privileged enough to be constantly ignored and avoided but I see so is Cristina," he went on recklessly.

"What are you talking about?" she barked out defensively. "I'm not avoiding anyone."

"Right, you've just dismissed Cristina like she was going to waste your precious time."

"I… did not! I don't have time to talk to her right now!" she glared at him.

"Sure you don't," he snorted. "You don't have time to talk to me either, right? Even if we're together practically 24/7."

"I don't-"

"Don't bother, Meredith," he cut her in. "It's bullshit. You've been in a state of constant panic ever since I said-"

"Don't!"

"-I love you," he finished raising his voice and noticing she was going pale. Saying it again brought him a vindictive kind of pleasure. It was probably wrong on some level that confessing his love was a sort of vengeance.

"Derek, this… you don't love me," she shook her head, a horrified smile on her face. "I'm not sure what brought about this… It's probably because we're together all the time as you said, we have sex all the time and… you're you. But this doesn't mean we're in… love. We're not, so stop saying that!" with that she whirled on her heel and walked out of the room. "See you downstairs!"

He plopped back on the bed with a heavy sigh. He didn't know what to do anymore, what direction to take. His time was slowly running out, he had only weeks in Rachel, days. He didn't know anything about his life anymore. Except one thing. Of one thing he was painfully certain. He loved her. Despite everything she said. That was one of the reasons why he knew he loved her, apart from experiencing emotions and feeling he had never had before. He wanted to be with her despite everything. She was being an inconsiderate bitch to him, he was mad. But he still wanted to be with her. He would rather argue with her than have sex with another woman. It was that simple and that hard.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

The morning went fairly uneventful with few patients, a lot of avoiding and Meredith trying like hell to find another plausible excuse not to go to Cristina's for lunch. The mournful monotony of the day was broken by the appearance of a very harassed-looking woman, whom Derek hadn't met before.

"Mrs. Monroe, what is it?" Meredith led her inside and the short blonde woman plopped on one of the chairs in the waiting area. "Are you in any pain? Maybe we should come to my office to talk-" she gave a short glance at Derek.

"No, that's fine," Mrs. Monroe took a deep breath. "I came to ask you for help, Dr. Grey. Dr. Shepherd," she nodded at him respectfully.

"Of course, what's the matter? We're going to help," Meredith assured her warmly.

"It's… I know how it is going to sound… you'll think I'm crazy…" she clutched her heart desperately. "No one in my family believes me! My husband thinks I imagined everything, my daughter just laughs it off!"

"And… what seems to be the problem?" frowned Derek.

"It's just…" Mrs. Monroe lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper. "I'm hearing voices…"

"Oh…" Derek did no longer know what to say. Hearing voices, not a good symptom. Either a psychological condition or a neurological one. In his mind's eye he already saw himself opening the blonde's skull, it was a long time since he held a scalpel in his hands.

He almost jumped when he met Meredith's berating gaze on him. It felt as if she was reading his mind.

"Can you be a little more specific, Mrs. Monroe?" she asked soothingly. "What kind of voices? When? Do you hear them now?"

"Nah," she waved her hand in the air. "No, it's just that weird. They only come in the night, from outside, as though from somewhere on the ranch…"

"So maybe they're just your workers, probably drinking-"

"No, I'm sure they're not. That's what I thought at the beginning. But I asked and checked myself. They all leave in the evening. And the voices, terrible screams, it happens around midnight."

"Every night?" inquired Derek.

"No, not every night. I tried to make my husband to listen but he sleeps all through it. And you can't hear it from the house. I discovered it by accident when I forgot to collect the laundry before the nightfall."

"Maybe they're just pranksters," came up Meredith. "Rigsby could-"

"No! Dr. Grey, if I'm really… not right in the head, I don't want make a public sensation out of myself," she pleaded with Meredith with her eyes. "Will you help me? Could you please come to my house tonight? I know it's a lot to ask of you but I'll be-"

"Of course, I'm going to do what I can, Mrs. Monroe," Meredith promised her with a small sigh. "I'll be at your place, let's say… at 11 tonight? Is that alright?"

Mrs. Monroe thanked her profusely and left, looking much better than when she came in.

"I'm worried about her," Meredith muttered more to herself than Derek.

"Has she had any psych episodes before?" he frowned.

"No," she rolled her eyes. "She's a very nice woman. Her daughter is the tomboy of the town."

"But hearing voices-" he started but was quickly interrupted by her stern voice.

"Let's not just jump to conclusions. I'll go there tonight and I'll see what's really wrong. I'm really convinced it's just a prank or some kids wandering at night. Maybe even Beth, that's the daughter, I wouldn't put it past her."

"You meant we'd go there tonight," he corrected her firmly. "We'll see what was wrong."

"I'll manage on my own," she insisted hurriedly. "You don't have to-"

"You know I don't have to but I want to. I'm not gonna let you wander alone at night wait for God knows what or whom."

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself! Alone!"

"I'm not questioning that. Only sometimes you don't have to do everything alone and sure like hell, I'm not gonna let you do it this time," he said and strode to his office quickly so as not to give her a chance to retaliate.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"Really, Mrs. Monroe, no need for you to accompany us. We'll be absolutely fine. Why don't you get back home and try to sleep?" Derek reassured their so-called patient standing on her porch. He felt Meredith's glower at the back of his head but ignored it. She didn't always get the things done her way. Certainly not tonight. "We'll tell you everything tomorrow morning. Really, goodnight, Mrs. Monroe."

"You just had to send her back," Meredith complained loudly, her arms folded over her chest, as they started to make their way in the direction pointed by Mrs. Monroe. "Don't you think it might have been useful to have her with us so she could tell us exactly when she hears these voices? We might have come here for absolutely nothing."

"I'm positive we'll manage," he shrugged as the tall shadow of one of the farm buildings loomed in the darkness. "Oh, look, I think we should shelter in there. If it's really some pranksters she's hearing, we'll be hidden from view."

"I don't-"

"It's getting chilly too," he cut her across and went on to pull open the door to the barn. He carefully stepped inside bypassing numerous machines and tools that hung from above and sat down on a large wooden crate. Meredith could do nothing but follow him with a sigh.

"Is it really so painful for you to spend some time with me?" he asked brusquely.

"How could you even ask? We're working together, we're having sex every night-"

"Exactly," he pointed out gravely. "What if we weren't having sex? Would it be the end of our non-professional relationship?"

His question left her temporarily speechless. "You wanted to have sex," she gasped. "You wanted to fuck me since you arrived here!"

"I did, I admit. But things change."

"That's not what we agreed on," she hissed starting to pace up and down. "We agreed on being friends and… help each other… What the hell do you want from me, Derek?"

"I want you to trust me," he answered at once. "I want you to quit avoiding me! To tell me what you really feel."

"I… I don't love you, if you expected to hear otherwise."

No, he didn't expect her to tell him that she loved him. He expected to hear just what she did say. Yet, it still hurt as if his heart was run over by a monster truck.

"Then why are you recoiling when I say it-"

"Shhh," she hissed at him suddenly. "I think I hear footsteps!"

She quickly ran up to him and made him hide behind the crate even though it was pitch dark in the barn. Seconds later, the immense door creaked open letting in a beam of moonlight. Two silhouettes entangled together slipped inside giggling and chuckling.

"God, Beth, I've been thinking about you whole day," a male voice clearly undergoing mutation murmured heatedly.

"You said that yesterday, Jeremy," she giggled though it soon transformed into a moan. "And… the day before…"

"That's because I think about you all the time. I think about us making love all the time…"

Meredith bit on her lip, crouching in the darkness. She didn't want to eavesdrop but they had a job to do. She felt Derek stir beside her, probably equally at a loss what to do.

And then a moan, almost a shriek, pierced the barn, possibly carrying out through the high window above. It was like an enlightenment.

She rummaged her bag for a torchlight and lit it lifting it over her head.

"Jeremy West and Beth Monroe!" she shouted sternly.

The two teenagers shrieked in fright, jumping up in the torchlight.

"Dr… Dr. Grey," Beth stuttered clutching her chest in a gesture very much like her mother's. "Dr. Shepherd? What are you doing here?"

"Have you come for a booty call too?" asked Jeremy avoiding his girlfriend's elbow cracking into his ribs.

"Jeremy West, you've been caught fooling around with your girlfriend in the dead of night, in the barn of the said girlfriend's father! You're in no position to joke!" berated him Meredith, disregarding Derek's amused chuckle. "And we're here to discover the source of the mysterious voices that were plaguing your mother. I think I know now where they came from. Was it fun for you to see your mom worried sick?"

Beth tried to make an apologetic face but failed spectacularly. "Well, actually it was kind of funny. You see, we spent a night together… and mom well, heard us. We thought we were busted. And you know my father, doc… Jeremy would have his balls ripped off if my dad knew."

"But Mrs. Monroe didn't recognize us," added Jeremy. "Well, we were pretty much screaming. We're kinda screamers, you know?"

"Yeah, it's kind of intense with us," giggled Beth. "You know intense?"

"That's… neither here nor there," Derek cleared his throat, thankful it was dark. It rang too close home. "You can't keep meeting for dates here. At least for the sake of your mother."

"But we're in love," Beth smiled softly, her voice tenderly exuberant. "We want to be together. And we can't go on regular dates because my dad will know and he will never let me out of his sight."

"We just want to be together," said quietly Jeremy.

"I mean, you get it, right?" pleaded Beth. "You've done it right?"

"Together?"

"Beth!" hissed Meredith throwing Derek a filthy look, completely useless in the obscurity.

"Are you gonna turn us in?" Jeremy asked nervously.

"No," Meredith sighed after a long moment of anticipation. "But you need to find someplace else to… to go on your dates. Not here, it's dangerous."

"There's nothing dangerous in here!" insisted Beth.

"There might be poison oak in the hay," chuckled Derek, which was followed with a muffled yelp of pain as Meredith's foot found its way to crush his.

"Are you being careful at least?"

"You mean protection? We're clean, we're exclusive. We are really in love," said Jeremy.

"Be that as it may, your father would surely know about your little romance if he was to greet a grandbaby into this world," Meredith said sourly.

Beth all but giggled. "We're safe, Dr. Grey. Condoms."

"Are you sure? I haven't seen any of you in the practice…"

"Doc, d'you think we'd buy them in the practice where anyone could see? We get them in a drug store in Vegas. I'm in the city with my father every week," Jeremy clearly rolled his eyes and added meaningfully, "People here talk, you know."

"Go away before I lose my patience!" Meredith hissed at them and they broke into a run, giggling, their hands inseparable. "Can't believe that just happened…"

"What are we going to tell her mother?" laughed Derek.

"Joyriders from the town up north?" she proposed. "You know which one, the one we hate."

"Young love…" Derek chuckled freely.

"Raging hormones, more like," she shrugged.

"You don't know it's just hormones, you don't know it's just sex," he said defensively.

"And you don't know them," Meredith pointed out.

"You don't know them that much either!" he snapped at her. "You don't know what's going in their heads. Neither in mine!"

"Derek, you don't love me," she stated firmly. "No, listen to me, you don't love me. It's only in your best interest if you don't harbor any romantic feeling for me whatsoever. I mean, we like each other, we're physically attracted to each other. We've got chemistry, and let's leave it like that."

"Why?" he gasped in incomprehension. "There's something special between us-"

"Not on my part, Derek," she said softly, though her voice couldn't be more hurtful to him. "I can't love you, no more than a friend."

"How do you know? Do you have feelings for any other man?" he asked, his deepest fears coming to the surface.

"No, there's no other man. And that's just the point. I can't love you because I'm emotionally unavailable."

"What does that even mean?" he spluttered.

"It means that I'm unable to feel that kind of love any more. I told you I was broken… scary and damaged. You were fine with that. You were fine with the fact that I might never trust you entirely. I do care for you though, and that's why I'm telling you, you don't love me."

"Really amazing how you can tell what's going on in my head and my heart," he snorted sarcastically. "I stayed here to think about my life, to change my life. And I think it's really happening. I think I've grown. I've grown enough to be able to tell a woman that I love her and really mean it. So don't tell me to go backwards and avoid my feelings!"

"I'm sorry," she whispered and he could tell she really meant it.

"You don't reciprocate my feelings, that's fine," he spat reaching out for her blindly. "But I'm not going to pretend I never said it or take it back. Because I meant it. I meant it and I will mean it every time I say it to you."

"Derek-"

"That's final, Meredith."

"I can't offer you anything else than… my friendship, care… and… sex."

"I can live with that," he declared self-assuredly, trying to convince himself more than her.

"Fine, then."

"Fine."

Her hand prickled suddenly as though electric currents flowed from his body, making her tingle. The atmosphere was once again sexually charged. At the mention of sex? As a result of their verbal sparring? Trying to get over the tension of the conversation they had just had? Whatever the reason the pull of attraction between them was as strong as ever. It was a good couple of hours later they surreptitiously left the dark barn of the Monroes, trying to scurry off unnoticed before the dawn and nearly running into Beth who was sneaking back into the house from her romantic rendezvous.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

The very next morning Meredith came out of her office with her jaws set tight and a lobster-red flush on her face.

"What's wrong?" Derek asked taking in her disgruntled appearance.

"I've just talked to Mrs. Monroe on the phone," she said, her voice strained.

"Oh, she must be relieved after what you told her. A group of misbehaved youths, right?"

"Eh, yeah, only…" she trailed off.

"What?"

"Before I could calm her down, she told me that she heard the voices again last night. Only now they were louder and more aggressive. And she thought they would never stop…" she cleared her throat.

"What- Oh," he bit his lip as it dawned on him. "But she didn't…?"

"No," Meredith said quickly.

"I must say… this is a bit awkward…"

"That we're worse than a couple of teenagers? I guess it is…"

"It was still fun though-" he was interrupted by the boisterous appearance of Izzie.

"Morning everyone! Guess what I heard!" she looked at the expectantly.

"You-"

"What?"

They both stuttered, a flush creeping up on their cheeks.

"Ted Lawson and Carrie Moses got engaged!"

"Oh, that's fantastic!" Meredith beamed wildly and trotted off to her office.

"Great news," nodded Derek and hurried to his.

"What's wrong with them this time?" Izzie shrugged depositing her handbag on the counter. "They didn't even let me tell them about the ghosts on the Monroes' ranch…"

**A/N I hope to update quite regularly from now on. As some of you know, I've been posting it on another board**** longer than here, so I have many updates banked.**

**Em **


	26. Chapter 26: Shoot For The Moon

**A/N Hello!**

**First of all, I'm sorry I was absent for so long. I'm barely here on these days.**

**Second, as you might have noticed I raised the rating to M. I probably should have done it a couple of chapters ago but this one absolutely requires it. That said, I hope the following update doesn't offend anyone. It contains consensual sex between two responsible adults who are in a relationship. **

**Hope you enjoy,**

**Em**

"Pretty cozy, they look," said an eager voice of a woman running a stall with UFO merchandise, her eyes following a couple that just walked out of the grocery store.

"It didn't take them long, did it?" replied the lady's friend who stopped over for a quick chat in between her morning errands.

"They're quite a match, alright…"

"I see what you mean, Pat," nodded the UFO lady, Violet, who was sporting a pair of silver antenna herself. "It's just such a pity… you know, Avery's boy," she lowered her voice conspiratorially. "He was quite smitten."

"He'll get over it," said Pat dismissively. "And the doc gets along so much better with… well, the new doc."

"Definitely! They'll have cute kids, just look at them," Violet smiled appreciatively.

"Oh, for sure! They'll have his hair, no doubt. All Shepherds had good hair."

"But the nose…" Violet sighed dramatically. "Not so fortunate…"

"It runs in the family as well, from what I can remember. But it's not exactly bad looking on them is it?" she bit her lip.

"Oh, you're so right!" Violet giggled madly. "It gives him… such a rugged devil-may-care look," she sighed dreamily quoting a passage from her favorite bodice ripper she knew by heart.

Pat soon joined her amusement. She smiled slyly, her cheeks going furiously red. "Dr. Grey looks satisfied. I wonder… I wonder…"

"If he's packing?" Violet finished bluntly without a shade of embarrassment about her. "I bet, just look at him. It's bulging even now…|

"Oh…" ladies let out a collective sigh cocking their heads.

"Besides," Violet went on excitedly.

"What? What do you know?" Pat immediately snowed her in with questions.

"Apparently, he's a stallion in the bedchamber…"

"What?" Pat frowned, not catching another historical romance reference.

"Girl, you should read more!" Violet rolled her eyes, stung. "Anyway, I heard it from Mrs. Marsh herself. She was curious so she went to the practice, told the doc she had a splinter in her finger and she heard it all!"

"What? What did she hear?" Pat could barely contain her curiosity by now.

"Loud banging…" whispered Violet. "I mean. From the bed. Mrs. Marsh told me she thought he was trying to do her in, it banged so fast and hard…"

"So fast and hard…" Pat tried to fan herself with her hand.

"And…"

"And?"

"They were screaming g like there was no tomorrow!"

"Oh, he must be good then…" The ladies were taken by another fit of laughter.

"And…"

"There's more?"

"When Doc Grey finally came down she could barely walk, she didn't even sit when she was taking out that splinter from Mrs. Marsh's finger…"

"Oooh! I wouldn't mind a bit of pain in there if it was his fault," Pat snickered.

"Such a man as him… has needs," sighed Violet. "He's oozing virility."

"Doing what?"

"You're such an ignorant, Pat! What have you done with that book I gave you, 'Sinful desires"? It might give you some tips for your old man."

"I'd do with some tips," she grumbled at the mention of her husband, her eyes still on Derek Shepherd. "And he wonders why I don't have energy for anything when I spend my days cleaning his clothes, he's constantly dribbling food over his front!"

"I bet he cleans his clothes himself," remarked Violet pointing at Derek. "I mean, Doc Grey barely keeps up with her own laundry."

"Oh!" Pat exclaimed suddenly. "He doesn't look so happy anymore, does he?"

"Trouble in paradise, eh?"

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

"I take pasta, you take sauce," said Meredith throwing the products into separate baskets. Meredith was still avoiding Cristina like the plague. It was weird and certainly gave food for thought for Derek. Since that talk in the barn last week things pretty much returned to normal between them. She didn't avid him any longer, she didn't run. And she even stopped flinching every time he said he loved her.

Because Derek didn't give up on saying those three words to her, every day. She wasn't fretful and inarticulate hearing him say them. There was no longer a pregnant silence following his confession, to be honest, there was no reaction whatsoever on her part. It was like she went momentarily deaf.

He knew he had agreed on her terms. She told him loud and clear what her position was and that it was not going to change. He knew and accepted that. And yet, deep down, it irked him that she chose to pretend not to hear something so important to him, something no woman had heard from him before.

And why was she still avoiding Cristina? They hadn't been at the inn for ages. Which also meant that he had to become a cook or Meredith would starve.

"I'll do my own sauce," Derek replied putting the glass pot back onto the shelf. "Without preservatives."

"God, I just love your feminine upbringing!" she sighed happily and moved on, completely unaware that she had lit and subsequently blown out a flicker of hope in Derek's heart. "So you pay for the pasta and I'll take… carrot cake."

Derek scrunched his face at the white and brown lump. "That's sweeter than the whole contents of a sugar bowl."

"That's why it's so good," she quipped. "I know you won't be eating that. That's why you're paying for the pasta."

"Right," he gave her a crooked smile. "And that's called fair share?" Meredith always insisted on splitting the costs of their shopping, he knew it was another way of keeping her independence. "I won't conjure the sauce with a magical wand. I need tomatoes, onions-"

"Your magical wand is just fine, I'd say," she snickered.

He couldn't help chuckling at the innuendo. "I don't think it has ever been exploited so much as now."

"Really?" she said quickly, too quickly, her voice inexpressively conversational.

He sighed. If only he could stop caring, stop getting angry and feeling helpless at her indifference. Soon he might lose even what she was giving him at the moment. He needed to accept that, as she had proclaimed herself, she was emotionally unavailable. Anger rippled in his chest at the faceless image of Mitch he had in his mind. What did he do to Meredith that broke her to the point that she was unable to fall in love?

But then again, if she hadn't escaped to Rachel, he wouldn't have met her, fallen in love with her… wouldn't have had to suffer too. Damn, his thoughts were so confused.

They paid for their shopping and started to the practice, passing by some stalls with souvenirs for tourists. They didn't get far when a rancher Derek thought he had met on the fair caught up with them. It turned out one of his horses had hurt his leg and wanted to have it looked at.

"I'll go," Meredith offered and passed Derek the grocery bag she was carrying. "You'll be fine with that?"

"Yeah," he said and leaned to press a small kiss to her lips. "I love you."

"Okay," she nodded and whirled on her heel to where the rancher was waiting for her in his car.

Okay? He loved her and all she had to say was okay?

Yes, it had to be okay. His stupid brain had to finally embrace it.

**UNDER THE NIGHT SKY**

During the day, they barely had time for each other. The horse's injury appeared to be more serious than anticipated and it wasn't until well into the afternoon that Meredith was back from the ranch, tired sweaty and her back aching.

Whereas, Derek had the entire practice on his hands for the whole day and just when he was supposed to finish and join Meredith at his place, and elderly man showed up, practically begging for Derek's and only Derek's medical advice.

When Derek joined his patient in his office, he was shocked by the sight of him standing there with his pants and underwear at his ankles.

"Sir?" he cleared his throat disconcertedly.

"I… I know this exam is necessary," the man stammered embarrassedly, "for the pills."

"The pills?" Derek moved to his desk, unable to meet his eyes.

"For this, I mean," he pointed at his crotch. "I have my years, son. When you're my age, you'll see that not everything still works as it should."

"Right," Derek muttered, cringing inwardly. Just what he needed to end this day, an erectile dysfunction. The future didn't look too bright even without the prospect of becoming permanently flaccid.

"I must say I am happy to see a man here again, at the practice," the patient, called Mr. Livingston, went on. "I know Dr. Grey is a wonderful person, such a caring doctor. I've come to her a few times myself for cold and stuff. But she's, well… a woman," he whispered dramatically. "It would be too… awkward…"

Derek willed his eyebrow not to arch up. Like a guy groping your family jewels wasn't awkward… He shook himself off. He definitely ought not to pour his frustrations on patients. The man just came for his help.

"So, what seems to the the problem…" Derek started and immediately coughed to cover his awkwardness. He didn't have much experience in this area, literally. "I mean… I take it that you came here for a Viagra prescription?"

"Yes, the blue pulls, doc," Mr. Livingston nodded eagerly. "Your uncle, may he rest in peace, used to give them to me. And then well… I didn't dare go to Dr. Grey with this and… and I haven't had any for months now. And it's like ages to me, I'm seventy-one, son."

"Oh…"

"I don't have any heart problems or anything. My wife tells me not to worry and that she loves me anyway even if I can't get it up."

"Right…"

"But you know how it is. The woman's the love of my life. I want to give the best for her and well, I just want to make love to my wife."

An hour later Derek left the practice feeling more depressed than ever. Mr. Livingston's wife loved him even if they couldn't have sex. Whereas, he was giving Meredith all the sex she wanted and then some and she still wouldn't love him.

The flashy green alien above the door to Cristina's inn caught his eye and he felt like having a strong drink. Just before he went in, however, he remembered about Meredith and that she had put her relationship with Cristina on sort of a hold. He didn't want to be subjected to any questioning about what he and Meredith did or didn't do.

He so needed a drink though, he needed something to numb the dull ache that was spreading through him, every day invading another part of his body. Who would have thought he'd ever feel like this. Unrequited love hurt like a bitch.

A walk in the soft evening air, that took much more time than on average, didn't bring him any relief, any solace though the night was so beautiful, the stars unusually bright. The house was dark when he arrived, only a subdued light on the porch illuminated the path leading in. He noiselessly slipped inside, left his briefcase somewhere in the hall. He didn't even turn the lamps on but he didn't trip as he walked upstairs. He was like a man possessed. Completely and utterly possessed by that woman.

He stepped into the bedroom. It was bathed in moonlight for a change. The ghostly beams uncovered all the secrets of the room and left the solitary sleeper, Meredith, in the spotlight. She must have been exhausted to go to bed this early. She didn't even put her hair in a braid, she just tied it at the level of her neck so it didn't poke her in the night.

Derek could clearly see she was bare under the thin cover, just as they usually slept. Sometime in her sleep she probably rolled over from her side to her back, the blanket twisting around her waist leaving her ripe breasts shamelessly naked for the moon to peek on. One of her arms was thrown casually above her head making her pose appear even more wantonly alluring.

It didn't take long for his manhood to react to the scene before his eyes. His penis was straining inside his pants painfully. His body was suddenly pierced with the most violent desire he had ever known. Yet he stood listlessly, having just crossed the threshold. He didn't want to wake her for… sex. Because that was what they were doing, having sex, having sexual intercourse, day in day out. They weren't making love…

Meredith shifted in her sleep once again, turning back to her left side and facing away from him, hitching a side of the blanket. She accidentally uncovered all her back to him and an enticing fragment of her ass. Something snapped in him. If it was just sex they were having, it was as good moment as any. He started to tear his clothes off at top speed, his eyes unchangeably on Meredith, as though she was offered for his taking. Once stark naked he pumped his length a couple of times and lay down behind her, under the partially kicked off blanket.

His wide outstretched palm landed on the bewitching valley of her waist and glided up and down on her skin, adding just a bit of pressure. His hand avidly stroked her middle, her easily detectable ribs, her shoulder and arm. As he loomed even closer on her, his face nuzzled the back of her head. Her hair was still slightly damp from the shower, the lavender scent of her freshly applied conditioner was going to his head. One of his legs nudged hers apart while his hand now slid to her front, impatiently flexing over her breasts.

His heart was pounding, his chest tightening and expanding against her back, but she continued to sleep on undisturbed. Even if he felt a bit like a pervert feeling her up when she was unconscious, he presently didn't have a care in the world. The reckless streak of his won him over. If not any other way, he'd have her physically. She would be his for this short period of time, only his.

However, she was not that unconscious any longer. Due to his rough ministrations, her nipples were tout and she was writhing a bit against him, the breaths she drew quickened. His fingers temporarily abandoned her sensitive globes and grazed down her flat abdomen to disappear between her legs. Her core was already hot as his fingers caressed her folds with growing intensity to make her ready for him. He brushed her plump clit and sank his forefinger into her sweet opening eliciting a soft gasp from her.

"Mer…" he murmured biting on her neck. "Mer, wake up."

But even if her body reacted to the foreplay he was imposing on it, she was still deep in slumber, her eyes as closed as ever, her breathing and movements of her pelvis instinctual, as her skin covered in perspiration.

"Mer… I need sex…" he whispered hotly into her ear. "If I can't have anything else… I want sex…"

She didn't answer, only hummed softly. He had to, he needed to take it as a yes. He had to have her. Take her. Fill her. Possess her. He wanted her to be his, damn, it!

He withdrew his finger from her sweet channel, she was wet enough for him. Instead, he lifted her leg a bit more over his and thrust into her with one swift move that provoked another mindless gasp out of her. His eyes rolled back in his skull at the tight fill of her. She enveloped him so well, like she was born to make him feel like this. He felt as if he was made to complete her. Gripping her hips in place, he pushed back into her. Keeping pushing back inside her, that was the only thing he wanted to be doing, the only thing on his mind. He willed himself not to think about anything but that. At some point, his thought processes became increasingly uncomplicated. He was driven by the sheer animalistic need to take her body, to imprint himself on her, make her remember what he was able to do to her body. He craved to feel that he had her.

As he speared her over and over again, he was utterly caught up with his lust which was making his brain lose in the power struggle with the other head. Just a few thrusts into her wet channel were enough to make him come hard, spraying her walls with his seed.

The post-orgasmic fog clouding his brain lifted surprisingly quickly. His release brought only a short-lived relief. It didn't satisfy his hunger for her, he didn't drink his fill. He also realized she wasn't pushed over the edge with him. She was moaning and writhing on the soft bedding instinctually buckling against his now flaccid length. She seemed to be still asleep, or rather overcome by some sort of dream fantasy. He didn't even feel bad about it, he was too confused, too engrossed in sex.

But this time a new thought took over his mind, he had to make her come and by that quench his own raging desires. He flipped her to her stomach and hovered over her. It gave him an odd sense of power to have her like this, under him, at his mercy. His hands once again fondled her sides, massaged her bottom. He rested his weight partially against her nuzzling his manhood against her ass until it grew hard once again. The speed of his recovery didn't surprise him. She was his drug, he was pretty sure he was on the best way to develop a sex addiction with her. What was he going to do when his time in Rachel was up? He shuddered suddenly, the need for her taking a painful dimension, both physically and psychically.

He lifted her up by her hip and plunged back into her, making her body tense and arch against his chest.

"Meredith…" he panted into the side of her face desperately. Her breathing was labored, her eyelids fluttering but still shut.

He wanted her to come so much this time, he wanted to feel her walls collapse around his penis as if teasing him into following her into orgasmic bliss. He managed to maintain a steady regular pace while his fingers found her little nub to nudge her into pleasure.

Her uncontrollable moans filled the moonlit bedroom as he urged his hips to work faster and harder, so harder, as his balls slapped against her. Her hands balled into fists clawing the sheets as her entire body tensed to its limits and finally, at long last, blossomed in her orgasm with a tremendous, and slightly surprised, outcry. As soon as he felt her collapse all around him, he gave in to his second release. And he still felt he was not quite done with her.

"Wha… huh…" he heard her mumbled into the pillow as they lay in a snug fit, sweaty and trembling.

He gathered up his strengths and turned her onto her back to face him. Her eyelids were inching up as he insinuated himself between her limp legs.

"Did… I…" she stammered breathlessly. "Org… orgs'm…" she was having trouble formulating her thoughts. "Don't… r'member… you…"

He offered her no answer other than his lips falling on hers, kissing the living daylights out of her. He was pushy, insistent, hard… Yes, he was hard… Her toes curled up at the feel of his member stiffening against her hip. Damn that was fast, he had just come and come hard given the fact that she was practically gushing with their mixed juices.

Just when a thought fleeted through her brain that she was going to die of oxygen deprivation (she'd rather die than stop the drugging kiss) he backed his head and looked at her hotly from under his drooping eyelids. Her lips stretched in a silly smile as it randomly occurred to her that he had really good eyelashes, too good for a man. But well, he had great hair, wherever it was located it was great.

"I want you…" he whispered grinding his pelvis against her. He couldn't stop it. God, what was it today that all he wanted to do was thrust into her, cum into her… "I want you, Mer… so damn much…"

She nodded, trying not to forget how to breathe, as she hooked her shaky legs around him.

"I want you… tell me you want me too," he pleaded locking her green orbs with his like a hypnotizer. "God, tell me you want me!" his strangled voice raised desperately.

"I… want you…"she swallowed and nodded at him, "Derek…"

At least he had that… As soon as the words fell from her lips, he rammed back into her, his rigid cock sliding in her with slick ease. Once again his thrusts soon become fast and rough. This was no time for slowly, slowly was for lovemaking and that was not what they were doing here. They were fucking, that was all there was. He needed to get this out of his system, the hurt, the rejection, the unfairness of it all. He wanted it all out of him, he almost hoped it would flow out of his body with his release as he came hard once again, taking Meredith right with him.


End file.
